The sand storm lasted until the middle of the night. Everyone in the homestead had retired for the night, the search and rescue for Luke and Leia being put on hold until the morning. But one person was still awake. Anakin finished getting dressed in his old jedi robes. He keyed in a code to a locked drawer and looked down at his old lightsaber. He picked it up and ignited it, the blue blade bringing back memories he had wanted to forget. He turned it off and hooked it onto his belt before shrugging on his cloak. He then looked down to where Padme was still sleeping. "Forgive me Padme but I'm doing this for your own good. This isn't like the last time, you will forgive me for this," he told her and pulled his hood up over his head and left the room running smack into Obi-Wan.
"That was a nice trick creating that sandstorm," Obi-Wan said crossing his arms.
"You figured that out then," Anakin said.
"I know your tricks. Now, I assume that you have a plan," Obi-Wan said.
"No, we're going to make things up as we go," Anakin told him as they walked through the house.
"You do realize that you can't keep her from following us," Obi-Wan told him.
"Yes I can," Anakin said adamantly as they got outside. He walked straight over to the Millennium Falcon.
"What are you doing? You have your own ship, you don't have to steal someone else's," Obi-Wan said.
"I'm not taking this ship," Anakin told him.
"Then what are you doing?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Dismantling the hyperdrive," Anakin said and ran up the ramp of the ship.
"That just might work," Obi-Wan muttered following Anakin into the Falcon. When he caught up with him Anakin had already taken the hyperdrive apart. "You don't waste any time anymore," he said.
Anakin looked at him from his position under the hyperdrive. "My kids are in danger, we don't have the luxury of time," he said and went back to work on the hyperdrive.
"I care about Luke and Leia too Anakin, but don't forget that I had a hand in not only raising them but I trained them just as I trained you," Obi-Wan told him.
"You don't know what Palpatine is capable of, you don't know his personal torture methods," Anakin pointed out.
"Did he torture you?" Obi-Wan asked alarmed.
"It's the ways of the sith Obi-Wan. Surely you realize that," Anakin replied yanking some wires loose breaking some. "Besides it was my punishment for killing my pregnant wife," he said.
"Anakin, you know she was still alive when we left Mustafar," Obi-Wan said.
"I thought I did," Anakin said quietly.
Obi-Wan looked at his former apprentice for a moment remembering what the media had to be told for Padme's death. "I'm sorry Anakin," was all he could say.
"It's over and done with," Anakin said flatly replacing the panel over the hyperdrive. "That will keep them here for the time being," he said satisfied.
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Luke hadn't slept since their capture. He wasn't even sure where he was exactly. He didn't even know where Leia was. Once they were captured they were disarmed and taken in separate directions. When he was left alone in his cell he put a code out for Arsix to send a distress signal from his wrist crono. He knew that it would be a while before help would come and that there was little the Alliance could do.
He rested his head against the wall he was sitting against and closed his eyes. Ben... Father...help
His cell was then opened and storm troopers entered the cell with their blasters aimed at him. Luke barely glanced at them.
"Blasters, so uncivilized," he said. One of the storm troopers grabbed him by the arm and yanked him to his feet. "Get your filthy hands off of me!" Luke said using the force to shove the storm troopers away from him knocking them against the walls of the small cell. "And you killed jedi," Luke spat prepared to take this opportunity to escape his cell. He got to the door and looked from side to side seeing no one. Quickly he made his way down the row of cells pausing when he got to the end. Before the officers commanding the cell black could react he called one of the blasters from the men and fired letting the force guide him in his aim. Once all the men were too injured to do anything he ran over to the console screen looking for where Leia was being held. He had to act quickly before the clones got to her.
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Padme opened her eyes feeling disoriented in the strange surroundings. She sat up quickly and saw the room she was in in disarray as though someone had to change quickly. Then she remembered. "Anakin Skywalker is a dead man!" she growled getting out of bed. "Han Solo you better have that ship of yours ready!" she yelled when she got to the door.
Han ran over to her looking like he had just got out of bed. "You slept for hours, I was beginning to get worried about you," he said.
"Remind me to kill Anakin when I see him," Padme told him.
"Why?" Han asked handing her her blaster.
"Because he forced me into sleeping!" Padme snapped holstering her blaster.
"He can do that?" Han asked pausing.
"For Anakin Skywalker the impossible is possible. Now lets get a move on," she said leaving the house with Han close at her heals.
"What's your plan?" he asked when they reached the Falcon.
Padme paused. "This isn't going to be easy," she said.
"Since when are things easy?" Han asked strapping himself into the pilots seat while Padme took the co pilots seat.
"I'm sending a message to the Alliance, we'll need their support," Padme told him punching a code into the comm station for the Alliance.
"You do that, I'm just going to switch to hyperspace to get to Coruscant," Han said punching in the coordinates as he took off. Once they reached space, he pulled a lever for the hyperdrive but nothing happened.
Padme looked at Han in disbelief. "No hyperspace? No hyperspace!" she yelled.
"It's not my fault!" Han said defensively. "I thought he fixed it!"
Padme leaned back in her seat. "I can't believe he did this! That Skraggen bastard!" she said Han's ungentlemanly ways rubbing off on her.
Han looked at her funny. "I never thought I'd hear you curse," he said in disbelief.
"Go see if you can fix the hyperdrive," Padme commanded.
"I was thinking the same thing," Han said standing up.
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"I never thought I'd set foot in this place," Obi-Wan remarked as he and Anakin snuck around Vader's manor.
"I didn't expect to come back here," Anakin said punching in a code into a computer. He used a secret code to access the Emperors palace where he knew Luke and Leia were being held. "At least the codes are working," he said looking at Obi-Wan.
"I'm not sure if that's a good sign," Obi-Wan said feeling the warning in the force whispering to him. "I think we should move on from here."
"I think you're right," Anakin said.
"Are there any secret passages or escape routs?" Obi-Wan asked.
"There's a sewer line that connects with the imperial palace," Anakin told him.
Obi-Wan leveled him a an I'm not doing that look. "Sewage, that's all there is," he said.
"We don't have the luxury of time to argue over this," Anakin said.
"No self respecting person would rummage through sewage," Obi-Wan told him.
"There's a first time for everything," Anakin reminded him.
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Luke hid around the corner with his stolen blaster held high. By now his escape had been noticed, he was sure. He used the force to feel how many opponents he had on this cell block. Feeling lucky, he sent a force wave through the guards station knocking the guards against the wall unconscious. He came out of his hiding spot and ran down the cell block coming to a stop outside Leia's cell door. He used the force to crush the door open making Leia sit up fast.
"What took you so long laser brain?" Leia demanded.
"I thought you could take care of yourself," Luke countered.
"I hardly think now is a time to argue," Leia told him.
"Who's arguing, come on we don't have much time," Luke replied grabbing Leia's hand pulling her out of the cell block. They skidded to a halt as a lot more storm troopers began entering the cell block.
"Any more brilliant ideas?" Leia demanded calling a blaster to her and started firing with Luke.
"I'm just playing it by ear you know!" Luke told her.
Leia rolled her eyes. "It figures. Come on, we're not getting out this way," she said backing down the cell block along with Luke as they continued to fire with him. She chanced a look behind her and cursed. "Our only escape rout is blocked!"
"We could use the force against them but I have a feeling that they'll just keep coming!" Luke told her.
"You're absolutely useless!" Leia told him spotting a grate above Luke. She smirked and aimed her blaster just above Luke's head blasting a large man sized hole through it sending sparks.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing!" Luke demanded glaring at his sister.
"I found our escape rout! Cover me!" Leia told him blasting away at storm troopers as she crossed the cell block to Luke's side and jumped up to the grate and began to climb through it.
"Bright idea Leia!" Luke said following his sister when the blaster fire cleared for a moment.
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"He sure did a number on the hyperdrive!" Han said aggravated as he came back into the cockpit.
"Did you fix it?" Padme asked.
"I hope so," Han said strapping himself into the pilots seat. He pulled the hyperdrive lever and almost instantly the stars became streaks of light as they entered hyperspace.
"You're a lifesaver!" Padme said in relief.
"Not yet Padme. Not yet," Han said. "Did you reach the Alliance?" he asked.
"They're sending a rescue team, but it'll be a while before they get there," Padme told him. "How bad was the hyperdrive?" she asked.
"Pretty bad. I just hope we make it to Coruscant," Han said.
Padme looked out into space sending a silent prayer to the maker that they would make it. That they would save her children from death or a fate much worse. "Do whatever it takes Han. And hurry," she pleaded.
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Anakin dropped down into the man sized tunnel filled with waste up to his knees closely followed by Obi-Wan.
"This is disgusting," Obi-Wan said scrunching up his nose. "But I suppose there's been worse," he said.
"They're coming," Anakin said sealing the man hole closed with his lightsaber.
"We better get a move on, I sense that something is up," Obi-Wan told him.
"I sense a trap," Anakin told him.
"Next move then?" Obi-Wan replied like old times.
Anakin smiled grimly. "Spring the trap," he said.
"Good move," Obi-Wan commented as they trudged through the waste with Anakin seeming to know exactly where he was going.
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Luke and Leia crawled through the air vents still not knowing where they were going. "Great move Leia, how are we supposed to know where we're going?" Luke grumbled.
"It got us out of the blaster fire," Leia told him. "I didn't see you coming up with any ideas," she said coming to a stop. In front of her was a grate that she would have to crawl over.
"What are you doing?" Luke demanded.
"Shh," Leia said kicking him and peered down into the room below the grate. It was the throne room and on the arm of the throne sat two lightsabers. Reaching out with her senses she didn't sense anyone in the room. Feeling lucky she removed the grate a few inches carefully and quietly before summoning the lightsabers into her hands.
"Someone is coming," Luke hissed as Leia replaced the grate.
Leia quickly passed Luke his lightsaber and hooked hers onto her belt before moving on quickly careful not to make any noise as she did so.
"Somehow I get the feeling that you fell for a trap," Luke muttered following his sister. He then spotted a grate above Leia and tapped her quickly. "Lets move into there," he said pointing to the grate.
Leia looked above her and saw the grate. "That's not a bad idea," she said reaching above her head to pry the grate loose. "It's stuck," she hissed when it refused to budge.
"Use your lightsaber to open it," Luke hissed at her.
"We want to cover our tracks if we're to get out of here, slicing a hole in here will tell them where we went," Leia hissed at him.
"Move, I'll get that thing open," Luke told her.
"Don't break it," Leia told him moving a few spaces to give Luke access to the grate.
Luke grabbed hold of the grate in the middle, gave a mighty tug and twisted pulling the grate free. "See no problem," he said carefully setting the grate down. "You get in first," he told her.
"Fine by me," Leia muttered climbing inside the man sized hole.
Luke followed her making sure to cover their tracks by replacing the grate through the force and sealing it tight with his lightsaber. "That should hold them off for now," he muttered.
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"Are you sure you know where you're going? This sewage system is nothing but a maze," Obi-Wan said as the waste became deeper. "Soon we'll be swimming in this stuff," he said.
"That's how I know where we're going," Anakin told him shoving a huge piece of metal aside. "I gave the orders myself to block off all lines coming in or out of the palace. It was vengeful thinking," he said.
"I don't know why I'm asking because I'm sure that I don't want to know, but curiosity has taken hold of me. How and why was blocking the sewage lines vengeful?" Obi-Wan asked.
Anakin smirked. "The emperor dislikes anything foul, most importantly stench. By blocking the sewage lines the waste coming from the palace had no where to go but up. As for why, he pissed me off," he said.
"I don't want to hear anymore. Just tell me that we won't have to swim in this stuff," Obi-Wan replied.
"We're almost at a secret hatch, even Palpatine doesn't know about this spot. I had it built for my own personal purposes," Anakin told him. "I just wish I knew were to look for Luke and Leia first," he added.
"Well if I know those terrible two, they're found a way to escape whatever prison they were being held in and are on their way to fully escaping, that is if they hadn't ran into trouble yet," Obi-Wan informed him.
"They have no idea how much trouble they're in by now," Anakin said.
"Don't worry about them so much. Palpatine is no match for them combined. They match you in power separately and completely take after you. They're methods may be different, but they are successful a good majority of the time. They're quite capable of taking care of themselves," Obi-Wan told him.
"What about their methods?" Anakin asked shoving another piece of metal aside.
"Luke's methods are a lot like yours. He's aggressive in a fight, quite different from his personality. He almost reminds me of Master Windu. While Leia takes after you in attitude, she's more controlled in a fight," Obi-Wan explained.
"Like you?" Anakin put in.
"I wouldn't put it that way," Obi-Wan replied.
"But it's probably true," Anakin muttered. "We're here," he announced moving aside a much larger and heavier piece of metal than the ones they had passed revealing a small door.
"I'm almost afraid to ask where that leads," Obi-Wan muttered.
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Master Yoda stood on the bridge of Bail Organa's personal starship en rout to Coruscant. He watched the stars streak by as the crew pushed the hyperdrive. The Skywalker twins were in trouble. Captured by Darth Sidious, The Galactic Emperor. Yoda knew that this one act would bring about the final confrontation between the jedi and the sith making Anakin Skywalker finally embrace his destiny. Yoda wanted to be around for that. He wanted to be there this time, to make sure that the chosen one does not fail this time. That he would not fail this time.
"We should arrive at Coruscant shortly Master Yoda," Bail Organa said approaching the jedi master. "Should we provide you a transport and backup?" he offered.
"No backup should I need. Meet up with Skywalker and Master Kenobi I will," Yoda replied.
"Skywalker? You mean the twins?" Bail asked.
"The capture of the Skywalker twins, a trap it is. A trap for their parents. Aid them I will," Yoda told him hobbling away to take a seat.
"Parents? Master Yoda, are you saying that Anakin Skywalker was not Luke and Leia's father?" Bail demanded.
"Luke and Leia's father Anakin Skywalker is," Master Yoda said.
"But you said that Master Kenobi and Padme are rescuing the twins as we speak. I am sure that you have heard of Vader's death!" Bail told him.
"Vader, dead he is. But Anakin Skywalker still alive he is," Yoda told him.
"Stars and Galaxies, Vader's death was a rues! A rues to throw the emperor off wasn't it? Are you saying that Vader betrayed the emperor?" Bail exclaimed.
Master Yoda didn't say anything he just met Bail's eyes and nodded. "Fulfilling his destiny Anakin Skywalker is," he said.
"If he is no longer Vader then where has he been all this time?" Bail demanded.
"In self isolation Skywalker put himself. Living on Tatooine coming to terms with his past," Yoda told him.
"Viceroy, we have reached our destination. What are your orders sir?" A pilot said approaching them.
"Prepare a transport immediately. Master Yoda and I will go down to the surface and you will await for further orders," Bail said.
"Right away sir," The pilot said leaving them to follow orders.
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"We've been crawling through this thing for hours, I think it's time we got out of the air vents," Luke said when Leia paused.
"Shh," Leia hissed peering down the vent in font of her. "We have no choice, this is the end of the line," she said checking to see if the coast was clear. "I don't see anyone," she finished.
"Can you see where we're at?" Luke asked.
"I'm not sure," Leia told him. "It looks like some kind of shrine," she finished.
"A shrine to what?" Luke asked fearing the answer.
"We'll just have to see, because we're making our escape from here," Leia told him pulling the vent up and dropping down into the room before freezing.
"What are you waiting for, lets move quickly," Luke said dropping down by his sister and then got a look at the room. Around the room were heads preserved in jars along one wall and lightsabers along another followed by several dark artifacts. "Leia," he said.
"Ah huh," Leia squeaked.
"Run," Luke told her.
"In a minute," Leia replied.
Luke grabbed her arm. "No, Now!" he told her pulling her out of the room breaking her out of whatever state she was in and they ran down several hallways twisting and turning around corners in nothing but darkness. All they had to tell them where they were going was their senses. They turned around one corner seeing some sort of sparkling light and skidded to a halt.
Suddenly the lights came on and Luke and Leia found themselves surrounded by not only storm troopers but the red robed royal guards. "Sithspit!" Luke cursed as he saw no way out. He pulled Leia closer to him.
"We're not going to get ourselves out of this," Leia told her brother as the royal guards approached them with their forcepikes.
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"Are you sure that you will not need my assistance?" Bail asked skeptically. He stood with Master Yoda at the now unused landing platform at the empty senate chambers.
"No, alone I must go. No help will you be in this battle," Yoda told him and then added as an afterthought, "To Senator Amidala you must aid."
"I will make contact with the Millennium Falcon immediately," Bail said bowing to the aging jedi master.
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"We've made it," Han said looking at Padme.
"I just hope we've made it in time," Padme said gazing that the image of Coruscant for the second time in seventeen years. She had very mixed feelings coming back to the capital. To her Coruscant had changed drastically. She no longer felt the good feeling she once had for the city planet.
Han looked away from her to the navicomputer where a blue light flashed. "We've got a message," he announced pressing a button next to the flashing blue light. Instantly the holographic image of Bail Organa showed itself.
"You have a lot of explaining to do Padme," Bail said and checked over his shoulder. "I know you're on your way to the capital, I'm already there. I've brought Master Yoda with me, meet me at the senatorial building in my old office so we can set up a plan to get the twins," he told them before shutting off.
"Are you going to be alright going back there?" Han asked.
Padme continued to look at the planet. "I'll be fine Han. Just get us to the building unnoticed," she told him.
"Alright," Han said going back to the controls and carefully navigating them into the planets surface following Padme's directions to the senatorial building counting his luck that it was already dark out. They landed on an abandoned landing pad of the now abandoned building.
"The last remnants of the Republic," Padme said sadly as they descended from the ramp.
"Democracy will return to the galaxy Padme. Never give up hope for what you're fighting for," Han told her.
Padme's pained expression turned hard and determined. "I never give up," she said and walked forward into the hanger entering the building.
With nothing left to say Han followed the ex-senator into the dark and dusty building. Suddenly four armored soldiers blocked their path. "Hey fellas, looks like you made good time, unfortunately we had some minor problems," Han said causing the soldiers to look at each other.
"Senator, Commander Solo," the obvious leader said said in greeting realizing who they were. "Viceroy Organa is waiting for you."
Padme's chin tilted up assuming her commanding stance. "We don't have time for protocol boys the time to act is of the essence. This may be the most important battle the Alliance has come across," she said regally walking past them with Han. The leader of the group pointed to two of his men giving them the signal to keep their guard while he and the third soldier escorted Padme and Han to Bail's old office.
Once they entered they saw Bail leaning over his desk with his arms spread braced on the hard flat surface. In front of the desk was a holographic image of Coruscant. Other leaders of the Alliance were in the office as well. The office was dark like the rest of the building, the only lights dimmed low letting the rest of the light to come from the holographic image.
"Senator Amidala as you well know General Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are on their way to the Emperor now. Master Yoda left to join them. Please explain to us how Skywalker could have survived and stayed away from the Alliance leaving all the work to be done up to his family," Bail said looking Padme directly in the eye.
Han quickly looked at Padme to see her not affected by Bail's words. How the viceroy knew was questionable.
"What my ex-husband does and does not do should not reflect upon myself nor my children. However such matters must be put aside in favor of getting my children to safety and the success of this battle," Padme said skillfully.
Bail looked Padme in the eye for a brief moment longer then nodded. "Then lets get down to business," he said.
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Luke and Leia were brought to the throne room each feeling colder when they got near the emperor, the darkness thickening around their senses like a fog almost choking them. The twins held their heads up high keeping their eyes closed as they focused on the light side of the force as Yoda and Obi-Wan had taught them. When they were brought to a stop they opened their eyes and watched as the throne twisted around and the emperor faced them.
"I hope that you're pathetic attempt to escape gave you sufficient exorcise," Emperor Palpatine said as he was handed their lightsabers once again. "Leave us," he commanded the storm troopers and guards who did as they were bid. Palpatine rose from his throne and approached the twins. "I look forward to seeing your father try to rescue you," he said.
"Then you look forward to your death for he will kill you for what you have done to us," Leia told him.
Palpatine smiled. "How young and naive you are," he said amused and turned to Luke. "Much anger you have boy like your father, perhaps you will be the one to replace him," he said.
"I will never join you as my father did. You'll have to kill me first," Luke told him.
Palpatine frowned. "If that is your destiny then so be it," he said.
"I don't believe in destiny just choice and consequence," Luke told him calmly yet hard.
"You will find yourself gravely mistaken," Palpatine told him turning away from them to sit back down on his throne.
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Anakin crouched in the shadows with Obi-Wan seeing the legion of storm troopers standing guard to the palace entrance. "Are you ready for this old man?" he asked.
"A jedi is always prepared," Obi-Wan replied and Anakin grinned.
"No time like the present right," Anakin said nodding to Obi-Wan and the two jumped down from the rooftop in front of the storm troopers. Before the storm troopers could open up fire Anakin sliced through the first two rows making Obi-Wan hurry to catch up with him. "I've forgotten how fun this was!" Anakin called over the blaster fire.
"I don't quite share your idea of fun!" Obi-Wan called to him deflecting blaster fire back to their owners. "Which do you want to take care of first, Palpatine or the twins?" he asked expertly disarming a storm trooper.
"We can do both at the same time, no doubt!" Anakin told him dodging fire while he twirled his lightsaber in his hand before plunging it into the chest of a storm trooper killing him instantly making his comrades fire at him faster. It took him momentarily by surprise when a third smaller and green lightsaber entered the mix as its owner jumped into the fight and onto a storm trooper plunging the blade into his chest. Anakin quickly recovered and grinned. "Nice of you to join us Master!" he called to Yoda.
"Time to chat it is not!" Yoda said strictly cutting down five storm troopers by the knees as they surrounded him blasters aimed down at him.
In no time the three jedi had cut down the apparent guards to the palace. "The emperor is expecting us," Anakin said darkly.
"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked cautiously.
"I mean that the sith aren't easily fooled," Anakin told him moving on into the palace. He lead Obi-Wan and Yoda through the seemingly empty halls before pausing. "I know a short cut to the throne room," he said throwing out his hand towards a window sending a force wave hard into it shattering it outwards. "We'll have too much company that way," he said nodding to the darkened corridor.
"I see what you're doing. Not very original by the way," Obi-Wan told him taking out the grappling hook from his utility belt along with Anakin, swung and threw it upwards letting it catch on an upper ledge. He then bent down for Yoda to climb onto his back before he and Anakin climbed the cables to the landing. Once there Anakin shattered another window by swinging into it feet first landing crouched on the floor littered with broken glass closely followed by Obi-Wan and Yoda.
Anakin peered into the darkness sensing more guards up ahead. As Obi-Wan and Yoda righted themselves he spoke. "You should be proud of me Master. I finally took the advise you gave me seventeen years ago," he said to Yoda before moving on.
"What advise? Anakin what are you talking about this time?" Obi-Wan demanded.
"Let go of all you feared to loose, a hard lesson you have learned," Yoda said keeping up with the other two jedi.
Anakin pulled the hood of his cloak over his head hiding his face in it's shadows taking on the persona of Darth Vader as he lead them through the darkened corridor of the palace. "Fear is the path to darkness," he said darkly. He didn't flinch as the darkness surrounding the emperor started choking them. Suddenly out of the darkness sparks of electricity appeared, the trademark of the royal guards. Anakin spread his hands out to his sides palms up and clenched his hands into fists using the force to bend and twist the forcepikes into useless weapons. "I have a standing appointment with the emperor he told the guards menacingly. And spread his arms further throwing the guards against the walls unconscious. Obi-Wan and Yoda watched as Anakin used the force to crunch and throw the doors to the throne room inwards making their fall echo a boom. "You're time is up Master Sidious!" Anakin boomed into the chamber.
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Padme and Bail lead the Alliance soldiers through he streets of Coruscant heavily armed as Alliance pilots flew through the air taking out Imperial troops as the Alliance took over Coruscant in an unannounced siege taking the capitals residents by surprise. When they reached the palace Bail took one team one way while Padme took another the other way with Han as her second in command. Neither wanted to linger on the carnage at the palace entrance left by the jedi.
"Looks like we're late," Han commented glancing back at the bodies of the storm troopers.
"Think of it as a Skywalker personal greeting card," Padme told him sweetly as they rushed through the darkened corridors coming to a halt when blaster fire aimed at them. As they fired back Padme took notice of the broken window knowing that they were getting the jedi's greeting. "Prepare your detonators!" she ordered making her way to the window taking out her extension gun indicating for the soldiers to follow suit. As the last of her strike team followed, they threw detonators in the direction of the blaster fire sending an explosion in that corridor just as they reached the window above them breaking into that corridor. Finding the coast clear for a moment Padme took out the hand held holoprojector containing the blueprints of the palace searching for the quickest way to the throne room. Finding her way, she looked down the hall to her left. "This way," she instructed taking the lead.
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Luke and Leia turned suddenly as the doors to the throne room were hurled into the center of the room with a loud thud followed by their father's voice. Palpatine cackled loudly not bothered by the least. "You have betrayed me Lord Vader," he said darkly.
When Luke and Leia saw their father enter the throne room shivers were sent down their spines as they were reminded of Vader. They couldn't get a look at his face from under his hood and had to keep themselves from jumping when his lightsaber came to life at his side, the blue blade glowing in the shadows.
"It's the way of the sith is it not," Anakin said darkly. "The apprentice betrays and murders their master before taking on their first apprentice."
"Traditions are meant to be broken," Palpatine said darkly and grinned evilly when Obi-Wan and Yoda entered the chamber. "At last the jedi will become ancient history," he said.
"You won't have my help this time Sidious," Anakin told him forcefully.
"We shall see," Palpatine told him using sith lightning to throw the twins apart and into opposite walls still bound.
Anakin's eyes narrowed angrily and jumped to attack the sith lord lightsaber raised to strike but at the last second Palpatine stood up and blocked him.
"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Palpatine demanded as Obi-Wan and Yoda went over to the twins making sure they were alright and trying to wake them up.
Anakin grinned as he locked sabers with Palpatine. "I would sorely be disappointed if it was," he said spinning and cutting low only to be blocked by Palpatine's red blade.
Yoda and Obi-Wan coaxed Luke and Leia into wakefulness with the force but he twins were still weak from the sith lighting.
"You have much to learn Lord Vader," Palpatine said throwing Anakin back using the force making him hit a wall. As Anakin got up Palpatine threw sith lightning at him.
"The name is Skywalker!" Anakin growled catching the lightning in his hands before sending it back to it's owner.
Palpatine dodged the lightning letting it hit the wall sized window shattering it. "So be it jedi!" he said jumping and attacking Anakin with more force than expected from an old man.
Anakin blocked Palpatine's thrusts turning around in the chamber matching each furious trust with equal strength and serenity. He drew his strength from the light refusing to give into his anger as memories assaulted him, memories of dark deeds and torture. He tried to ignore this invasion of the mind and built up his mental shields but not before remembering his very last dark deed. It was with that memory as he felt Padme's presence coming closer. He needed to finish this before she showed herself making herself more of a casualty of the empire. His mind worked furiously as he put all of his strength into his attacks.
Palpatine grinned evilly. "It seems as a family reunion is in order," he said catching Anakin off guard for a second and in that split second he saw his opening and plunged his red blade into Anakin's stomach.
"NO!!!!!!"
All eyes turned to the door from which the scream came from seeing Padme's strike team arrive.
Anakin looked down from where Palpatine's lightsaber stuck from the hilt up into him before looking straight at Padme trying to tell her that he still loved her and begging for her forgiveness in one look before Palpatine pulled his lightsaber out of him ever so slowly. When it was gone he grabbed his stomach and sank to his knees before doubling over.
Palpatine turned to the door. "It is so good of you to finally grace us with your presence Senator," he said icily.
Luke and Leia tore their eyes away from their fallen father and at each other before springing into action calling their lightsabers to them and standing guard with Yoda and Obi-Wan in front of the Alliance just as Bail arrived with his strike team. "You're outnumbered You're highness," Luke said dangerously swinging his ignited lightsaber in his hand at his side.
Leia brought her blade up ready for battle. "Your time is at an end. Your power is minimal compared to the four jedi in this room," she said.
"I would listen to them if I were you, they're both just as powerful as their father," Obi-Wan cut in.
"Lose this time you will Lord Sidious," Yoda said. At those words the entire army of Soldiers including Bail and Padme raised their weapons ready to back the jedi.
Palpatine cackled. "No! It is you who will lose! This day will see the end of the jedi and your pitiful rebellion," he said as storm troopers filled into the corridor around the Alliance.
Luke and Leia raised their eyebrows at him in identical expressions.
"Didn't your master ever tell you to never turn your back on a jedi?" a hard voice said from behind Palpatine.
Palpatine turned around slightly to see who was behind him and his eyes widened just before a blue lightsaber severed his head from his body.
As the head of the emperor rolled across the floor coming to a stop face up yellow eyes cast in eternal surprise and the body crumpled to the floor Anakin looked directly at Yoda and Obi-Wan. "Your prophecy is fulfilled," he said finally before his lightsaber fell out of his hand hitting the floor with a clatter and he fell to the floor for a final time.
Luke and Leia dropped their lightsabers as they rushed to their father. ""We have to stop the bleeding!" Leia called feeling with the force that Anakin's life was draining away.
Obi-Wan shrugged out of his cloak and handed it to Leia quickly. "Do what you can Leia, he's not dead yet," he said.
Padme pushed her way through the group of soldiers and jedi that formed around Anakin and dropped to his side. "Come back to us Ani!" she whispered taking his hand tightly in hers growing alarmed at how cold it was getting. At that moment the past didn't matter anymore. All the hurtful things and feelings went away the second she saw Palpatine strike him down and the pleading look he gave her. She fought the sense of panic that threatened to take control. "Come back to us please," she pleaded touching his face with her free hand.
Luke stood up as he watched Leia stop his father from bleeding to death and his mother pleading for him to come home. He needed to take control of the situation. He needed to be the man in the family. He didn't notice Bail come up behind him until he placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You don't always have to be the one to take care of them Luke," Bail said.
"It's my job," Luke told him shrugging away from the viceroy.
"No it's not, it's your father's job," Bail told him.
Luke looked at him over his shoulder. "Neither is it yours," he said walking away from the viceroy who looked at him in surprise. He placed a hand on his mother shoulder. "This isn't the end Mom. Look at what he had to do to get here, for us. He won't leave us this time," he told her.
"I hope you're right Luke," Padme whispered.