Where Order 66 Begins

Anakin came out of meditation, still irritated, annoyed and above all, worried. Since that conversation with the Chancellor the previous day, he'd had this intensive feeling that something was going to happen and soon. But he still had no idea what or where or when and he could be as watchful as he wanted, that didn't change the fact that it was coming and he felt so unprepared.

To make matters even worse (as if things weren't bad enough), Obi-Wan had left that morning to face off with Grievous, assuming the Chancellor's information was correct, and the moment he'd said, "You are strong and wise, Anakin. And I am very proud of you," Anakin had felt something. Like those would be the last words he'd ever hear from his brother-turned-father's lips.

This didn't even get into the strange story of Darth Plageus that the Chancellor had no business knowing. When Anakin had mentioned it to Obi-Wan, after he'd gotten more clear-headed, Obi-Wan had spent the whole night in the Archives, searching for any such story, but to no avail. All their Sith legend holocrons didn't even have a mention of Plageus, which left one wondering how in the galaxy Palpatine had heard the story.

Just how close was the Sith if it was able to tell such a story to the leader of the Republic and not be noticed?

And of course, his meditations had brought up that terrible vision again. (He just couldn't escape from seeing Padme dying while Obi-Wan and Ahsoka suffered, not even for a few hours.)

Anakin sighed.

"Master."

Looking up with a slight start, Anakin blinked at his young Padawan. "Sorry, Snips. Was all that slipping through?"

She shook her head, kneeling down in front of him. "Not really. Or rather, I felt it, but it didn't overwhelm me like it's doing to you." She rubbed her arms. "Not like it's overwhelming you. And it's strange that I know that, because I shouldn't be able to feel that much. But it's not intrusive, just there if I want to tune in."

Anakin nodded. "This is a lot for you to take in. Obi-Wan and I didn't stumble onto this until I was much older than you are. But I must say, little one. You're shielding is impressive if I'm not completely overshadowing your thoughts."

Ahsoka pouted at him. "Master, you've been drilling shielding into me since you first accepted me as your Padawan. Even my teachers here at the Temple are very impressed by what I can do."

He gave a smooth smile, tapping her forehead. "Just preparing you for the unknown."

"Yeah," she grumbled. "I thought it was in case I faced Dooku or Ventress. Who knew it was because of your over-inflated ego?"

Anakin chuckled, so very glad that she was there to distract him, however, briefly, from everything they were trying to do.

She glanced at him, no doubt sensing his happiness at her presence, and smiled. "So, my master, are you ready for the Council meeting?"

"What's the point if Obi-Wan's in transit," Anakin replied, stretching. "I swear, they're taking advantage of the fact that I can communicate with him so easily."

Ahsoka giggled and hesitantly tried to send him a wave of warmth and affection like he often did with her now that she knew about what the bond could do.

"Thanks, Ahsoka," he said quietly, reaching forward to put a hand on her shoulder. "You're pretty good at that. You're picking up quickly. Obi-Wan and I took far too long figuring this thing out."

Ahsoka nodded. "I'm still so amazed at how quickly this is going. I thought you'd be much slower on this. I don't have anywhere near the training you did when you and Master Obi-Wan started."

Because there's no time left, Anakin thought to himself with a frown. Another image came forward in his mind, of his vision. Ahsoka, off on some planet alone in room, as her bright orange skin paled to a faded peach before clutching her chest tightly and falling into a fetal position as tears started to flow from her eyes.

His Padawan gave a small gasp before flinging herself to him in a desperate hug. "Master, is that what you've been seeing?" she whispered as he wrapped his arms around her. She shivered. He nodded beside her montral. "And Padme dies? And Master Obi-Wan is distraught?"

He held her tighter, the images already coming forward and he knew that they were slipping through the bond. "I'll keep you all safe," he promised. "I'll be there for you. Wherever you need me. Whenever you need me." Even if all I can be is a presence in a bond. I won't abandon you.

And the warmth and affection from his Padawan wasn't nearly so hesitant this time. Nor was Obi-Wan's from far away as he continued his journey to Utapau. Nor was Padme's, as it suddenly flared with heated passion for him as she somehow sensed his distress.

They stayed like that for a moment. Just holding each other and swirling in love.

"Okay, Snips. I need to be somewhere."

Ahsoka nodded, her montral poking deeply into his cheek. "Is there anything I can do for you, Master?"

Anakin paused, looking at his visions and thinking of an idea. "Stay with Padme. That way, at least, neither of you are alone. Because something's going to happen. Soon."

His Padawan nodded, adjusting her lightsabers at her belt, and stood easily. "Then I'll see you at dinner tonight, right?"

Anakin grinned. "Yes."

Nodding, Ahsoka quickly left.

Anakin felt better. So he decided it was time to stop moping around with angst and start doing something.

First thing's first. Skip a Council meeting and crash an interview.

Dooku sat, back straight, legs crossed, arms resting lightly on his legs as if his hands were neatly folded, bearing the presence of an aristocratic gentleman, as he always did. Since he had dropped that little tidbit scant days ago about possibly mentioning who the Sith really was, they had been pressing him. Really it was far too enjoyable to talk circles around such venerable Council members as Mace Windu and whatever troop he dragged along with himself. Yoda was apparently off-planet and Dooku had no doubt as to why. The Council, in a feeble attempt at deceit, was trying to appear weak and divided.

Really, it was a wonder that the Jedi had lasted so long.

He long knew the routine by now. So he decided it was time to bring it all to a close.

"Come, Master Windu, is it not time for another war meeting? Oh, pardon me, don't we mean Council meeting?"

The Korun Jedi was good. Not even a twitch of a brow at the fact that Dooku was completely leading the interview, despite being the one in the cell.

Agen Kolar, standing patiently and calmly behind Windu, just gave a smile.

And they could not even deny that Dooku was leading the interview. Because they were the ones seeking information which he would not give until they grew brains. Really, Kenobi would be far better for verbal sparring. At least that man bore a sense of humor, dry as it was. And watching his bond with that whelp Skywalker was a fascinating study.

But ah, here came the object of study now. Skywalker came into the room, all calm confidence, yet Dooku could sense the swirling unease within him. It seemed Sidious was ramping up attempts to turn the boy. Perhaps through confusion since the boy was too stupid to turn otherwise. Even after his months of captivity, he still could not fathom Sidious' interest in the whelp; his dark tendencies aside he had nothing desirable about him. He was impulsive, emotional, and entirely prone to histrionics and outbursts. He was a child, and Dooku could never understand where the potential was. He offered nothing, not even acknowledging his presence.

"Who is Darth Plageus?" he demanded.

The entire room fell silent at his unwarranted question.

Dooku leveled a narrow gaze. "Who?" he demanded.

"Darth Plageus," Skywalker demanded, irritation coloring his voice. "A Sith who was so powerful that he kept his loved ones from dying."

Now this was truly abominable. Dooku thought it appropriate to show his distaste and glared at the boy. "And what does this have to do with me?"

"How did your 'master' know the story? Is any part of it real? What kinds of records are there?"

Dooku sneered. "And how, might I ask, did you come across this fairytale?"

"Don't avoid the question!" Skywalker snapped, his calm exterior quickly breaking.

"Very well," Dooku said, raising an eyebrow. He paused a moment, wondering whether he should lie or tell the truth. He'd never heard of Darth Plageus, but then, he could take a more than educated guess as to where the story came from - carefully orchestrated and artfully articulated. The former Sith wondered if Skywalker's folk tale had any validity to it, but then; Sidious never spoke of his own master. It was the way of the Sith. It was more likely a falsehood, a bait to set a trap for Skywalker. It fell back to whether or not he could stand helping Sidious in any way.

He couldn't.

"I know nothing about the Darth, boy," he said with venom. "Sidious did not dictate his entire back story, and Sith lore is hardly interesting."

"Then why?" the boy demanded.

"Why what?" Dooku retorted, utterly bored with the child and wishing he would simply go away. Kenobi, he would make this fun. Skywalker had no style.

"Why did he tell the story to Palpatine if he didn't tell it to you?" he hissed.

And, finally, all at once, Windu figured it out. The bald Jedi master stood abruptly, the only sign of his insight. "This interview is over," he said in cold tones, leveling a gauging eye on Dooku. "Thank you for all your information," he added stiffly.

Dooku offered a dark, oily smile. "I remain your humble servant, gentlemen," he said lightly. "I'm certain," he added, just as Windu ushered the others out of the room, "that my former master will be expecting you."

Windu turned slightly, the corner of his eye locking onto Dooku. Finally, he said,

"I expect he will."

Dooku sat back and waited for the fireworks to begin.

Mace rubbed his forehead, one of the few signs he allowed himself to show his distress. Agen eyed him wearily, knowing the signs, but Skywalker was still fuming. "Why did you end the interview?" he demanded. "He still hasn't told us anything. He hasn't told us anything for months, and I need answers from him!"

"You have done quite enough, young Skywalker," Mace said, thoroughly not wanting to deal with the Chosen One. However inadvertently, he had discovered the identity of the Sith Lord. Dooku had said it himself, Sidious did not speak of his past to his own apprentice; logic would dictate that he told no one. So, logic dictated, how would Palpatine know the story?

Unless he was the Sith himself.

It all fell into place after that. It fit together in a way that frightened Mace; he looked back on the last dozen years and saw with perfect vision how this had all come about. Hindsight brought it all into sharp focus and he cursed himself for not seeing it sooner.

He rubbed his forehead again.

Skywalker was still whining. "Mace, I have to go back in there! If it's true-!" he cut off his sentence, instead opting for, "I need to know!"

"No, young Skywalker," Mace said, Agen standing at his shoulder. The boy couldn't know of this, his position was likely compromised if Sidious deliberately dropped the hint of his identity. His eyes widened as he looked at Skywalker again, realizing that he had become a living shatterpoint. Mace didn't know how to react to that, he was still reeling at the discovery of Palpatine; he needed time to compartmentalize and process this. Except there wasn't time, if Palpatine was being this direct then he was planning something. Obi-Wan off to Utapau suddenly seemed like a bad decision - if Dooku were right and Sidious was trying hard to kill Kenobi, then he may well be running off into a trap given that he was moving on Palpatine's information.

Anakin was fuming. Granted, a great deal of that fuming had been blown down to mere coals with Obi-Wan's gentle warmth flowing along their bond, but Anakin wasn't quite willing to let go of his smolder. After that interview with Dooku, Mace had the audacity to send him away like a youngling to go and "meditate on your feelings and release them."

Really? Seriously? Anakin was on the Council now, thank you. Didn't he deserve at least a little more respect than that?

Well you didn't exactly act at your best, Obi-Wan gently reminded him.

Not helping, Anakin growled back. But he acknowledged that he hadn't really handled the situation well by just barging in and demanding things without having already discussed it with the Council. But something needed to be done. The only option was to sit and wait, which Anakin was sick of. If he didn't like his options, he made new ones, which was why he'd gone to try and stir things up in the first place.

When Anakin had gone to see Mace and try and talk about things, the Councilor had refused and told Anakin to go back to his meditations.

Thus it was only natural that Anakin was ignoring this directive completely and going to have dinner with Padme and Ahsoka. At least with them they might be able to come up with something.

Anakin shook his head and let out a deep breath. He was getting impulsive again. He'd need to rein that in before he started doing things without a clear picture. But something felt like it was eating at his heels. Something was going to happen. And he was reacting to the need to react to that something.

Anything I can do, Master?

And he couldn't help but smile. Thanks, Snips. Just make sure we have a good dinner. I'm almost there.

Not a problem.

Anakin took a moment to bask in the warmth of all his loved ones, letting their reassurance and care sooth his anxiety.

"Ani!" Padme greeted when he dropped down onto her balcony.

"Hey, beautiful angel," he replied, hugging her close, relishing in the swell of their child between them.

"Ahsoka's been telling me you've had a frustrating day."

Anakin nodded against her. "Hope my feelings haven't been bugging her too much."

"Not at all, Skyguy," his Padawan replied, her arms laden with a plate of delectable food as she walked to the dining table.

"Ah, Master Ani!" Threepio greeted. "So good to see you again!"

"Hey," Anakin greeted, pulling away from his wife enough to go over and help Ahsoka with all the food. "Did I miss something? This is more than usual."

Padme shrugged. "I just felt like we all needed it."

Anakin smiled, kissing her cheek.

They talked, reviewing their days as they sat down when Anakin stiffened, his eyes looking out to the stars to a planet many lightyears away.

"Ani?"

"Master?"

Anakin offered a grimacing smile. "Obi-Wan's engaged Grievous. Separatist Council just got away."

There was a quiet moment.

"Master, shouldn't you be contacting the Council? The Chancellor?"

Padme put her hand on his arm, offering her love and support.

Anakin looked around to his family. "I think they can wait until after dinner," he replied. Because Mace was not going to listen to him and his strange conversation with Palpatine the night before made him hesitant to go back at that very moment.

Sidious couldn't quite stop the smile that spread across his face as he sensed the Jedi's arrival. It wasn't how he originally planned it. Far from it. But he would be able to turn Skywalker to the Darkside. The boy had already proven that if a loved one died, he would have no problems touching the Darkness. Indeed, Kenobi didn't die from Ventress, but when Skywalker saw the Acolyte again, he unleashed the Darkness in his heart.

The cursed bond that existed between Skywalker and Kenobi was no longer tarnishable. For all of Sidious's hints that Kenboi was in on a plot to overthrow Palpatine, possibly kill him, Skywalker denied it with utter certainty. All that was left was for Kenobi to die. With the rest of the Jedi. Because if Skywalker could touch the Darkside after Kenobi's almost-death, then he would sink in willingly when the rest of the Jedi fell. Genocide would be such a good motivator. Then, set up Skywalker's precious Senator to appear to have an affair for the ultimate betrayal and dear old Palpatine would be all the boy had left that he believed in.

It would likely also be a good idea to offer up a substitute for the Sith Lord Sidious so that Skywalker could extract his vengeance and never suspect kindly old Palpatine was manipulating him so easily.

Sidious's plans were well laid. Even with unexpected turns, there was only one outcome. Skywalker would become his apprentice.

There was no doubt.

And what better way to slay all the Jedi, than to set them up as traitors, so that even the everyday populace would turn on them?

Mace Windu stormed into Palpatine's office, Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar and Saesee Tiin fanning out around him.

Sidious was disappointed. They hadn't even noticed that there were no Red Guards barring their path.

"Chancellor. You're under arrest," Windu said with a frosty voice.

Reaching out with the barest of touches to the Force, Sidious turned on an audio-recorder hidden in his office.

Time for a command performance.

Anakin glanced up again when Threepio, aided by Artoo, brought in a delicious berry pie for dessert, once again looking out to a place only he could be aware of in that moment.

"Ani?"

He smiled widely, turning to his wife and Padawan. "Grievous is dead."

"Yes!" Ahsoka cried out, standing in an energetic display of excitement. "Without Dooku, without Grievous, we win!"

Padme was already leaning over and kissing Anakin, smiling between giggles and smooches.

Anakin reveled in the feeling. Finally. The Separatists would have no choice but to sue for peace and then it was just a matter of hunting down Sidious. Even though his position between the Chancellor and the Council hadn't changed, Anakin still felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of him. They were just that much closer.

Turning to his Padawan, he put on a stern face, despite his lips twitching to smirk. "My young Padawan, a Jedi does not rejoice in the death of anyone. It is a sad thing that it had to come to that," he said in his best Obi-Wan-stern tone.

Ahsoka offered her best Anakin-unrepentant look and stuck out her tongue.

Padme laughed before she gasped, her hands going to her stomach.

"Angel?"

"Padme?"

His beautiful wife smiled. "Sorry," she smiled. "The baby's kicking."

Anakin and Ahsoka both reached out to feel the little miracle.

With a flick of his fingers, Sidious let his lightning fade. Really, he knew the Jedi would be easy to defeat, but that was just pathetic. Three down before even a second. Only Mace Windu and his famed Vapaad lasted any length of time. And even that had been pathetically short. Windu's Vapaad was based on being a conduit, an open circuit to take the Darkside and funnel it through his moves, yet not actually touch it for use. It was a form that required a great deal of focus and concentration to not touch the Dark, but when up against a Sith, it was probably the worst form to use. Had Skywalker been there, perhaps he would have played at being weak and using the boy's fondness for Palpatine against him.

But with Windu being an open source to the Darkside, Sidious thought it only appropriate to use the Darkness Windu was funneling against the Vapaad master. Granted, Windu was good with the Darkside, despite not touching it. Sidious had been transformed by his own lightning. But it was no matter for the Sith Lord. His exterior merely matched his interior now. And it made for a sympathy plea to the Senate, further pulling them under his control. Between his new shape and the audio recordings, Sidious could now completely take control of the Republic. Indeed, it would no longer be a republic. It would be an empire.

Sidious laughed.

His Empire.

He kicked aside the body of Tiin from his desk and sat down.

Time to kill Kenobi and begin the removal of the Jedi. Once he had established his Empire, it would be time to start pitting Amidala against Skywalker.

Oh so very easy.

Love was fickle that way.

He opened a channel to all clones. With utmost glee, he said four words in his harsher voice that made the galaxy his.

"Execute Order Sixty-Six."

Obi-Wan patted Boga's neck as he urged her up the steep sides of the sinkhole. He could still see the fire of his troops against the droids several levels above him, and he wanted this battle over so he could go home. With Grievous gone, he and the Council and Anakin and Padme could start doing what was more important. Flushing out Sidious. This terrible war would no longer be a constant pull, a distraction. There were still things to do, yes. Negotiate peace; tend to the people who had been suffering for so long; reduce armaments, the list was endless. But that was what Jedi were supposed to do as peacekeepers.

From his bond, he could feel Anakin sending much love and affection his way, which was a nice balm for his tired body. Indeed, if he spent a moment to focus... Anakin was redefining impossible again. Mixed with Anakin's usual exuberance was the care and gratitude of both Padme and Ahsoka. Really, Obi-Wan couldn't help but wonder sometimes how his old Padawan kept everything straight in his own mind.

There was a flare of warning in the Force and before he even realized what was happening, he was turning in his saddle to deflect fire from... his own men?

Then Boga was curled around him as they were both in some sort of freefall and Obi-Wan briefly realized that he was about to land in the water with a several-ton mount wrapped around him and what to do...

Black.

He shot up out of his seat so fast that his chair clattered behind him. "Traitors!" he growled, anger swelling within him before unconsciousness flung Anakin back into reality, because he wasn't on Utapau, but with his family.

He blinked. "Kriffin' traitors," he growled again. More invective, contumelious things started spilling from his lips in many, many languages.

"Master? What-"

Anakin slammed his fist on the table. "Fucking traitors!" he shouted.

Padme put a hand on his arm and that cut through Anakin's overpowering feelings enough for him to take a deep breath and start reining things in. Obi-Wan didn't have time. They didn't have time. This was the start of it. And he was not going to start reacting without information. His instincts would have him running straight to Utapau or the Chancellor or the Council in order to do something and he needed to think. But Obi-wan was in danger and that was overriding almost everything going through his mind.

Oddly, it was an old lesson of Obi-Wan's that he'd had to teach Ahsoka not all that long ago that sprang to his mind and gave him a plan to cling to. When overwhelmed, find someplace safe and regroup. A lesson that Anakin usually ignored unless he had troops and people to look over, and a lesson that his Padawan needed pounded into her given her tendency to not be able to see a large picture when focused in a battle.

Deep breath.

"Padme, get Typho and get a transport."

"But-"

He pulled her close into a fierce hug. "Angel, there's not time. While you're doing that, Ahsoka and I are going to have a conference with Obi-Wan."

With a helpless little sigh, Padme nodded.

"Snips. Meditation. Now."

"But-"

Question later. Meditation. Now, he growled, already sitting right where he was on the floor. Ahsoka took the time to sit by his side, and they slipped into the Force.

Anakin was surprised to feel so much Darkness swirling around. He'd never seen such murkiness before, but he couldn't spare the thought on what was going on to cause it. Ahsoka was by his side and they started sinking together as equals, the only way to do what Anakin had in mind.

He worked to not hurry it along, because Ahsoka had only started doing this with him barely over a week ago and this couldn't be rushed. He needed her to be able to hear Obi-Wan as clearly as him, and he couldn't see how that would work at such a distance unless they weren't hampered by the Teacher-Student filters usually in place. It was a level of connection that needed equality. Neither was better. The only difference was experience.

Once they were as deep as he needed, Anakin reached along his bond with Obi-Wan and yanked.

Obi-Wan rose to consciousness and without any filters, Anakin and Ahsoka could clearly see that Obi-Wan was underwater. There was a frantic moment of orienting himself, before Anakin's brother-turned-father pulled out a rebreather and settled into meditation. Let the currents take him where he was needed.

Obi-Wan!

Anakin? Is that... Ahsoka?

Yes, Master Obi-Wan.

And there was a distinct feeling from Obi-Wan, brief as it was, that Anakin had redefined impossible, again.

Can someone explain things to me now? Ahsoka asked, somewhat impatiently to hide her fear.

My clones just shot me down.

...WHAT?

Obi-Wan, I'm getting Padme, Ahsoka and myself off of Coruscant. Can you secure a transport without clone interference?

The clones shot at you? And not accidentally?

Calm down, Snips, panic won't help right now.

Because really? Anakin was far too close to panic right now. Because something was wrong and he was suggesting running which went against everything he was and didn't know what else to do, because all he knew was that if the clones turned on Obi-Wan, clones couldn't be trusted, and there were clones all over Coruscant.

Anakin is right, Ahsoka. We have been blindsided. We need to regroup.

Padme! Ahsoka shouted. Master, your vision of her dying and everything else, does this mean it's happening now?

Most likely, he replied. Which his why I'm going with you two.

There was no denying Ahsoka's dislike of this idea of running. Anakin didn't like it either. He didn't have to like it as long as it kept his family safe, because that was his priority. His family.

But what about the others? Ahsoka asked. We have to warn Master Plo and all the other Jedi!

And suddenly it wasn't just his family. Anakin started swearing in earnest again.

Send a transmission, Anakin. But worry about getting your family out of there and I'll contact you on our third channel.

The one I modified into com' units?

Yes, I'll patch it into whatever communications my ship will have.

Anakin nodded to himself. It wasn't much of a plan. But it was something he could focus on.

Anakin.

Yes?

I know you have good reason to be cautious of the Council. I may not agree, but I understand. But I think it's time we talked to Yoda at least. Told him everything.

Anakin squirmed at the idea. Yoda, in particular, had been against him being trained, though the old troll seemed to have softened to him over the years and indeed, taken a liking to him in his own bizarre way. But that didn't soften the old sting of his initial rejection. Of what that rejection had done to Obi-Wan's confidence. Of how despite the fact that he couldn't imagine not having Snips by his side anymore, her initial assigning to him was Yoda meddling in what Obi-Wan had done a superb job in.

I... We'll talk about it once we've all regrouped and have more information.

Master, I think we need to get going.

I'll meet up with you soon. Be safe, Anakin.

Double for you, my old master.

"Fucking traitors!"

Padme didn't shrink away from the language like she used to; she'd grown quite accustomed to his bursts of profanity as strong emotion hit him. What did make her step back, however, was his tone, the look on his face, the emotion he was feeling - the last time she'd seen that look on his face was when he went off to look for his mother; stalking off the Lars farm and ready to spill blood. He looked like that now, and Padme worried what had possibly happened to draw out that look on his face.

"Padme, get Typho and get a transport."

"But-" she started, wanting to know what had happened.

He pulled her close into a fierce hug. "Angel, there's no time. While you're doing that, Ahsoka and I are going to have a conference with Obi-Wan."

He turned his glare to his confused Padawan and Padme knew they were talking with their feelings again. Whatever had happened had to have been serious; and so she wasted no time dashing to the wall communicator across the room.

"Captain Typho, get up here," she said in a strained voice, "Something's happened."

The one-eyed man was instantly concerned. "What's wrong?" he demanded.

"I don't know," she snapped, "Just get up here!" She stepped back from the comm. The pacing started soon after; her belly felt like it was swaying back and forth and she kept an arm on it to keep it still. The other went to the small of her back and she worked hard on keeping her breathing even. She was worried; stars above she was worried.

"Senator!" Typho burst into the apartments, two men flanking him, blasters drawn. She didn't blame them; her life had been threatened more often than not since the start of the war, and she knew she should have found it comforting, but she found it didn't help. At all. "What happened?" he demanded, his one eye hard with concern and anticipation.

"I don't know," she answered honestly, still pacing. Irritation surged threw her suddenly and she gestured towards the flank-men. "For pity's sake, put the blasters away," she said shortly, unable to completely contain the worried, nervous energy that was coursing through her. The baby felt it, too, and was kicking up a storm.

The other men were dismissed, and the privacy, such as it was, was welcome as she faced her chief of security head on. "Master Skywalker told me to summon you; he also said to get a transport ready."

"For where?" her chief asked.

"I don't know," she replied, her face twisting in worry. "He just started cursing; he shouted 'Traitors!' and then told me to get you. He's in meditation with his Padawan right now, I think he's trying to contact Master Kenobi."

"Milady," Typho said, his face turning black with possibility, "If he feels there are traitors here then it's not safe to stay here, we need to get moving."

"We will," Padme reassured, rubbing the back of her neck. Her feet hurt. "Once Ani and Ahsoka come out of their meditation and we get an explanation we'll move. To where I don't know, but hopefully Ani will explain."

The conversation was over after that, Typho knew from years of experience that if Padme decided not to move, nothing could stop her until she took her own initiative. Silently, they both turned to the two Jedi kneeling on the floor of the apartment, waiting. Padme hated waiting.

Anakin was already swearing when he came out of mediation, a hand shooting up to his forehead. Ahsoka frowned, a soft gasp in her mouth before she, too, held her head. "Master," she whimpered, "What's this feeling...?"

Anakin's face was black as thunder. "It's nothing, Snips," he ground out, his voice too low and too forced for his statement to be true. Padme clutched her façade of calm tightly to her chest and waited for the two Jedi to get to their feet. Anakin threw a glance at Padme, conveying all sorts of negative emotions, on top of warmth and love at seeing her safe, and reassurance that she was alive, before locking his gaze onto Typho.

His tones were clipped, and he was already walking out of the apartment, expecting everyone else to follow. "Long story short," he said, "the clones have just betrayed the Jedi. They shot at Obi-Wan and are attacking Jedi all throughout the galaxy."

The world stopped. For a very brief eternity, the entire galaxy just stopped and Padme could only stare as the words sunk in. Anakin's back suddenly seemed so far away, something was pulling them apart and she didn't understand what he was saying. Only a small push at the small of her back, Typho urging her to keep moving, started the galaxy back up again, and suddenly she couldn't move fast enough, she dashed and waddled her way to her beloved's side, the four of them cramming into the lift with Threepio and Artoo; and the Senator wrapped her hands around his arm, his organic arm, looking up to his face. Anakin was staring at nothing, didn't even seem to notice her. She didn't think it was possible for his brows to knit any closer together, and his frown was so deep it nearly touched his jaw line. Every muscle Padme could touch was taught with tension, he was shaking with emotion.

Ahsoka faired little better, her eyes were wide as she, too, stared off at nothing, confusion coloring her face as she likely tried to process what she had just learned. Space, Padme was still trying to process what she had just learned. It was almost too much to take in; what had happened to make the clones turn on the Jedi? She knew a few clones, and what she didn't know was filled in with the many stories from Ani and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka at their dinners; they were good people, how did this happen? Her mind was a whirl as the lift finally hit the right level and they all plowed out of the confining space.

Padme rushed to keep up with her husband, but he didn't pay her any mind; power walking to the transport that the two flank men from before were standing by. It was the Nubian carrier; that was for the best, perhaps; Padme couldn't be sure.

She couldn't be sure of anything.

Typho was giving orders to his men; they moved with a hurried but professional air as they were trained, escorting the worried Senator, the dazed Padawan, and the roiling Jedi up the ramp and into the ship. A piece of Padme's mind finally started working, and she pulled out her personal communicator, patching through to Bail on one of her encrypted channels.

"Senator Amidala?" his tiny hologram queried, looking up surprised.

"Bail," she said, dropping formality out of urgency. "Something's happened; Ani says the clones had turned on the Jedi."

Even reduced as his image was, his handsome face twisted in shock. "What?" he demanded. "Who is Ani?"

"Anakin Skywalker," Padme snapped, frustrated that she had to explain herself. They were wasting time; somehow, she could sense it. "Obi-Wan Kenobi at least is under attack, and Ani says the other Jedi are to. I don't know what this means, but you have to tell everyone in the Delegation. The fallout from this could be catastrophic and we need to be prepared for what might happen."

"Yes, yes of course. What about you?"

"It's not safe for me," she said quickly, her mind frantically trying to find a way to explain Anakin's vision of her death without giving away too many secrets - oh, to be honest for once! She kept following Anakin and Ahsoka through the narrow halls of the carrier, the claustrophobic atmosphere pressing in on her again. A thought finally pricked her mind, though, and she said, "The dinners I hold for the Jedi might put me in danger; Ani and Ahsoka are taking me somewhere safe. Once I am I'll call again-"

She realized, somehow, that she had gotten ahead of her incredibly fast husband. She couldn't figure it out at first; Padme had been dashing on sore feet for several minutes now to keep up with the Jedi's brusque pace, and yet now she was turning around to look behind her, twisting around Typho, to see why her beloved husband and Ahsoka had stopped.

What happened next made her openly afraid.

Anakin and Ahsoka both had come to a complete stop, both of them wide eyed, and Padme watched in horror as color drained from both of their faces. Anakin's face whitened so much it almost became translucent, the dark circles under his eyes from his lack of sleep and the deep creases of his brow making him look like a ghost. Ahsoka's warm orange skin paled to a sickly peach color. A single tear leaked from her large eyes.

"... the younglings..." she whispered.

To her left, a bright flash of light caught Padme's attention and slowly, as if pulled by something other than herself, she turned to look out a view port. The Temple could be clearly seen in the evening light, just on the horizon, and from inside it came a silent fireball, bright orange tinged with yellow, that disappeared into a black pillar of smoke.

"The Temple," she whispered, so detached she wasn't sure it was her voice, "They're attacking the Temple."

Ahsoka crumpled to the ground.

Author's Note: And we see another massive departure from canon. Really, at this point we don't want to say much, we just want to sit back and enjoy. Don't expect much of author's notes. We think we've pointed out enough things that you get what's going on. ^_^

Aside from that, several of you have commented on how Padme and Anakin think it's only one baby. There's a reason for that. Aside from being so prevalent in fanon that we think it might be canon, if the two want it to be a surprise and ask for a droid simply if the baby is okay, the droid will reply "Yes" and not elaborate, hence not knowing there were two.

Next week: Where Darkness Surges