Chapter 15 - Aftermath

Author's Note: In which... things continue to spiral. ;)

~ Amina Gila

Padme Amidala

I've had the feeling something was wrong all day, especially over the past few hours. It's grown worse since the sun started setting. I just know, instinctively, that something bad is happening.

It's dark outside now, and we can see a fire burning the Jedi Temple. Fires on Coruscant are unheard of, even if they happen in some places, and I have no idea what's happening. That's the Jedi Temple, and the last time we saw it smoking was when it was bombed many months ago. And where are Anakin and Aniya? Are they alright?

"The Chancellor's office indicated Master Anakin and Mistress Aniya returned to the Jedi Temple. Don't worry. I'm sure they'll be all right," Threepio tells us before hurrying off, leaving Jaufre and I alone in my living room.

I don't know what's happening, but the war was supposed to be coming to an end.

So, why is the Temple burning? Somehow, someone must be attacking it, and I don't know how that's possible or what's happening or anything. I know the twins are there, and I have no idea if they're alright. This doesn't...

"Are we going to stand here all night?" Jaufre asks, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"What are we supposed to do?" I query, sounding as strangled as I feel. "We can't go there. If it's caused so much damage to the Temple, that would be too dangerous." And I'm not going to risk my child like that.

"Who could be doing this?"

"I have no idea." He looks as helpless as I feel. It's hard to think that only days ago, everything seemed happy and like we could be alright. That already seems like a lifetime ago.

I don't have anything more to say than that – how could I? For how exhausted I am, I can't sleep when something so dangerous is happening. I know full well that if someone is attacking the Jedi, if they're gone, the attackers can do anything, and no one will be able to stop it.

"I would go see for myself," Jaufre says, "But I don't want to risk leaving you."

I'm grateful for that, I have to admit. If I weren't so afraid, I would ask him to, anyway, but I don't know if I can trust anyone outside of him right now. I want to, but there's so much corruption and... and I don't understand how this is happening.

We wait for hours, unable to sleep, unwilling to even try. Eventually, we sit down on the couch together, and we stay there until it's towards dawn. The horizon is just starting to lighten when the twins finally, finally arrive.

I run to them the moment they climb out of their fighters. "Are you alright? I heard there was an attack on the Jedi Temple. You can see the smoke from here."

"We could see the fire from here, actually. The glow, anyway," Jaufre corrects, "What's happening?"

"We're fine," Anakin promises, waving off his concern, but that fact alone is enough to tell me it's not true. Something is very, very wrong, and even if the twins weren't hurt, how many people were? How could this have happened? "We came to see if you and the baby are safe."

"The Jedi tried to overthrow the Republic," Aniya answers. She looks distant, only half present, and...

Jaufre moves forwards, pulling Aniya into a tight embrace. "Tell us everything," he requests, "I can't believe the Jedi would do something like that."

"I would not have either," Anakin replies, "But we saw Master Windu attempt to assassinate the Chancellor ourselves."

It's – I can't believe the Jedi would do something like that. I know them. They're peacekeepers. They're... well, they may have flaws and overlook people sometimes, but not like this. They would never try to seize control. I know that much. But still, the twins would never lie about something like this, either.

"What are you gonna do?" I ask. And what does this mean for the future? And what happened to the Jedi? I know what the punishment for treason is, but I can't even imagine that. I can't imagine what such a galaxy would even be like.

"We will not betray the Republic," Anakin promises, "Our loyalties are with the Chancellor, with the Senate, and with you."

One time, that would have had more meaning to me than it does now. Now, I don't know anything anymore. There is so much corruption in the Senate, and I no longer know if I can believe in it. The war should have ended long ago, but it hasn't, and so many have died senselessly because the Senate and Chancellor are refusing to push for a diplomatic solution, hence why I asked the twins about it. Not like that went anywhere either though.

But what does this mean for everyone at the Temple? All of this is too much, too quickly, and I don't know how to deal with it.

"Please tell me this isn't another nonsensical decision the Council made?" Jaufre almost begs.

The twins glance at one another and just as quickly look away. "I do not know the details of what caused it," Anakin replies, "But it has been dealt with."

"What about Qui-Gon?" I ask, immediately thinking of the first Jedi I met. I may not know him well, or too personally, but the twins know him, and I care about him. He's not a friend, exactly, but I can never forget his kindness. "And Obi-Wan?"

Anakin turns away, pacing to the window. "I don't know," he answers, "Many have been killed today. I know Master Qui-Gon would never side with them, but he is not... preceptive of this."

"I wish I could say the same about Obi-Wan," Aniya replies almost bitterly, "And I don't want to say this, but he is more likely to remain loyal to the Jedi than the Chancellor. We can only hope he will see reason."

Just hearing the way she's talking isn't helping. She is clearly not at all alright, even if they're pretending to be, and if the Jedi committed treason, and they had to turn on them, I know why. But I don't understand it either, because how could they have done this? Why would they do this?

Anakin paces back over to me, the pacing perfectly normal when he's uncomfortable, but I'm too torn up to try calming him. The Jedi committed treason, and I can't be entirely certain that they were wrong, and I don't know what to do. I don't know what this means. How many people has Palpatine ordered killed? I know the twins will always side with him, but I don't think that's the right choice, not after the power he's been amassing. I don't want to think he's up to something sinister, but he's one of the main instigators in the war.

Jaufre sighs quietly. "What now?" he asks, "What happens now?"

"We will restore peace," Anakin promises, "Everything will soon be set right. The Chancellor gave us a very important mission. The Separatists have gathered in the Mustafar system. We're going there to end this war. Wait for us until we return. Things will be different. I promise."

I don't even know what I can say to that. I can't believe this is happening. Everything is spiraling far beyond my worst nightmares.

"Just be careful, whatever you're doing," Jaufre calls, as they head for their ship.

"Of course," Aniya assures, "We'll be back. Just wait for us."

As though there's anything else we can do, as we watch them get in the ship, flying away. Jaufre approaches, slipping an arm around me. "Something's wrong," he mutters.

I give him an incredulous look, blinking past my tears. "The Jedi committed treason, and Palpatine just ordered them all killed! Of course, something's wrong!"

"No," he counters, "With the twins. They seem..."

"I know," I admit, "If they've been forced to turn on the Jedi, I can see... why." But what that means they had to do, I don't know. I don't know if I want to. In truth, part of me can't understand how they're siding with Palpatine at all in this. At least not anymore.

"Yeah," he mutters, turning to stare at the still smoking building on the horizon. "I just have a bad feeling about this. I... I don't know. Nothing makes sense anymore."

I couldn't agree more than I already do. I almost doubt it ever will again.

**w**

Ahsoka Tano

We don't have any medical supplies with us, but our injuries are the least of my concerns right now, as Alema and I escape into the Underworld. It feels like I've been doing this far too much, and I'm still somewhat in shock from everything that's happened. I may not be a Jedi anymore, and I don't trust the Council, and nor do I ever want to be a Jedi again, but still, seeing them gone is... they're the only life I've known.

And somehow, still, what hurts the worst is the knowledge that the twins are now Fallen – I can feel it, and even if it seems completely impossible, I can sense the truth to it. I don't know what it means or what we're going to do, because I could never imagine such a thing, but here it is. It's happening. And I have no idea what to do, because Sith are our enemies. I can't fight them.

We had a chance to destroy Sidious, and we failed. I can't believe I thought we could succeed. If Maul survived, he's probably going to be very mad at us for leaving him behind, but it was our only choice.

Finding the others down here is easy enough. Fives, Echo, and Ventress are all at our designated meeting spot, pacing restlessly.

"I was wondering if you were coming back," Ventress greets, but there's an unusually serious note there.

"What happened, ma'am?" Fives asks, looking over our injuries.

"You were right. About the Chancellor," I reply.

"What happened?" Echo queries, instantly wary.

And so, we explain it to them, down to how went to fight Sidious with Maul and Savage and failed.

"You should have called in more people," Ventress says, "And you might have stood a chance." As though that's supposed to make anyone feel better about it now.

"I know, but it's too late for that now," Alema retorts. It's too late for anything now. The twins are Fallen, and – okay, I didn't mention that part, because I don't even know how.

Fives and Echo probably wouldn't believe it anyway, especially not since they apparently took the evidence about the chips to them. Did anything even come of that? Whatever happened, they obviously weren't fast enough to do anything about it.

"I don't know what to do now," I admit. I've never felt so... lost in my life. This shouldn't be real, and it certainly doesn't feel like it, but the death in the Force is too obvious.

"Lay low," Ventress offers, "I'm going back to my job."

"Of course, you are," Alema replies, "But you be careful, too. This order may only apply to Jedi, but we can never be sure."

Ventress nods. "If you find a shot at revenge that isn't suicidal, you can call me. And if it'll cost something."

"Thanks," I say dryly. 'Revenge' isn't exactly the first thing on my mind right now. I want to know who's alive, and... "I have an idea who we can contact. It'll probably be safest if we... split up. There's nothing we can do about the chips anymore."

"There might be," Fives argues, "If we can free some of our brothers. They may still join us."

"Work on that, then," Alema advises, "We'll see what we can do about... Jedi survivors." I know she's really thinking about the twins, though. We need to find them.

Once we treat our injuries, we part ways, and it feels... I don't know. We all worked together to stop this, and we failed.

The best place to get answers is Padme's apartment, and we head there immediately. Sneaking to it under the cover of darkness isn't as hard as it could be, but the sky is already getting light when we finally get there.

We can still see the pillar of smoke rising from the Temple from here, and all I can do is stare at it numbly, wondering how in the world this ever happened. How – how can any of this be real? That was our home. I don't consider it that anymore, but it's – it stood for a thousand years, and now, it's nothing but ashes.

Please tell me the twins weren't involved is all I can think as we finally knock at Padme's apartment. Yes, they Fell, but – They wouldn't do that would they?

Threepio ushers us in immediately. "Ahsoka? Alema?" Padme exclaims, rushing over to us, Jaufre following. It's been so long since I last saw them – not since our final goodbye, and before that, my trial. "Are you alright?"

"We're... alive," Alema offers. What else can we say?

"That much, I was already aware of. But I thought you were on Mandalore. How did you get here?" Jaufre asks, concern shining in his eyes.

"We were here to kill Sidious," I admit, "But then, the clones intercepted us."

They exchange a look. "You tried to kill the... Chancellor?" Padme asks.

"He's a Sith," I object, at the incredulous note in her voice.

"I know, but – you tried doing that by yourselves?!" Jaufre demands.

"Not exactly," Alema offers, "We had help, but I guess it wasn't very well thought out."

"No, it wasn't," Jaufre says flatly.

"What's happening?" I ask, still unable to ask what I really want to know.

"The galaxy's gone crazy," he offers.

"Palpatine accused the Jedi of treason," Padme replies, "We're being called to a Senate meeting very shortly where he's going to present all the evidence to the public." She pauses, sharing a look with her brother.

"What? Did they try killing him when they found out he was a Sith?" I query. It... would make sense. I can see how them going to arrest him could easily be twisted into that, and...

"I don't know," she replies, "Anakin and Aniya said they saw Windu try to assassinate him."

My heart jumps to my throat. "What – happened to them?"

They share another look. "What?" Alema demands, frowning.

They seem hesitant for some reason. "They... believe the Jedi guilty," Jaufre replies finally, "They say they stand with the Republic."

The world suddenly feels faint around me, the possibilities whirling through mind. Did they... No, I can't believe that. "What?" Alema asks distantly.

"I don't think anyone understands what's going on right now," Jaufre offers, laying a hand on each of our shoulders. "We don't know the full story, but I know they're trying to bring an end to the war."

"But why would they side against the Jedi?" I demand, incredulously.

Padme sighs. "I don't know. I don't know what happened. But – you need to stay hidden. I'll find a way to sort this out. Maybe there's something I can do in the Senate..."

Jaufre side-eyes her, looking momentarily worried. "You can stay here a little longer, if you want. Where have you been staying?"

"We have a place here on Coruscant," I respond, "But I don't think we should stay. I don't want to endanger you."

Padme sighs again. "You're probably right. But at least you can take some credits. We'll let the twins know you were here."

"I'd like to talk to them," I say, slowly, feeling almost detached. I don't understand this, but I want answers and now.

"We'll try to let you know when they get back," Padme offers, "Just – be careful. I don't know who we can trust right now."

"Are there any other survivors?" Alema asks quietly.

"I can't believe there aren't," Jaufre replies, which answers absolutely nothing, "Bail had said he was going to see what's happening at the Temple. He... may be able to answer that. But be careful."

"Of course," I assure, and we pause to take some food and credits before slipping out again.

Neither of us speak until we're somewhere safe we can talk again. "I don't understand," I breathe, "Why would they ever..."

"Why would they ever Fall?" Alema finishes.

I shake my head, sinking onto a nearby bench with an exhausted sigh. "I don't know."

Somehow, that seems like the most any of us can say right now. Alema sits down next to me, and it abruptly reminds me of what it was like right after we walked away from the Order, when we sat out here away from the Temple, all on our own for the first time ever. It's true again now, and I don't know what to do. To start, perhaps we can find a way to contact Bail and see if there are any survivors. Part of me doesn't want the answer to that.

**w**

Obi-Wan Kenobi

"How many other Jedi managed to survive?" I ask as we walk through the halls of Senator Organa's ship.

I can only thank the Force he was in the right place at the right time to rescue me and Caleb. The only other Jedi here are Master Yoda and Master Plo's padawan, though Master Plo himself is glaringly absent.

"Heard from no one, have we," Master Yoda replies.

"I saw thousands of troops attack the Jedi Temple," the Senator tells us, "That's why I went looking for Yoda."

My anxiety spikes instantly – that's where my master and the twins are. This is somehow managing to be even more widespread than I thought. "Have we had any contact from the Temple?" I can only be grateful I'm still somewhat in shock, which is the only thing letting me think clearly right now.

"Received a coded retreat message we have," Yoda answers.

"It requests all Jedi return to the Temple. It says the war is over," Bail says.

"Then we must go back," I decide, firmly.

"It's obviously a trap," Jinx objects, arms crossed. "If we go back, we could die too."

"That is precisely why we must go back," I argue, "If there are any stranglers, they will fall into it." And we can't let that happen. There have to be other Jedi out there. There's no way the four of us here can be the last ones. It all feels so unreal. We can't be...

"Suggest dismantling the coded signal, do you?" Master Yoda inquires.

"Yes, Master. There is too much at stake."

"Agree, I do," he replies. "However, leave the padawans here, we must. Dangerous, I sense, if they accompany us."

"They will be safe with me," Bail assures.

I can only nod my agreement. There's no reason to take them with us anyway. If we have to fight the Sith, there is little they'll be able to do. It's something Master Yoda and I will have to handle on our own.

**w**

Qui-Gon Jinn

To say I'm still in shock would be an understatement. This is what we feared most. Dooku warned me it was likely Sidious may succeed in gaining control of the twins, but it was always a sort of abstract nightmare. Not something that could happen, could be hovering right here in front of us.

I have no idea how many of anyone I know survived. I can feel that Obi-Wan is still alive, but I can't say anything about anyone else. Dooku and I are concealing ourselves in the Temple, because it's truly currently the safest place until we can find a... better place to go – I know many Jedi escaped, and the clones are still occupied tracking them down. I don't know where the twins are, but they're off-planet now.

I haven't been able to bring myself to speak to Dooku about what happened, and he seems to understand that I need time to process right now. I think he expected this to happen, but he never knew the twins that personally. He's not losing them the way I am.

My gaze trails down to the mechanical hands he now has, for a moment. He must've lost them when he was fighting the twins. I don't really know how to feel about that, but really, he asked for it, after what he did to Anakin.

I couldn't be more relieved than when I finally sense Obi-Wan approaching, along with Master Yoda. They're shielding heavily, but I know them well enough to feel it when they arrive, and we go to find them almost immediately, perfectly mindful that this will be one very awkward conversation. I'm still not ready to explain to Obi-Wan about the Dark Side, because I know he will not be at all perceptive about it, but I have to, eventually. I'm not looking forwards to it, though. More than that, Dooku is a Sith, and they won't like seeing him free any more than the twins did.

Obi-Wan looks immediately relieved to see me. "Master, you survived," he says, an audible relief in his voice.

"We began the evacuation," I tell them immediately, "But we were being overrun too quickly."

"Why is he here?" Obi-Wan asks, throwing a pointed look towards my former master.

"I am no longer your enemy," Dooku replies for himself, "And we have a common enemy – Darth Sidious."

"The main enemy, Dooku no longer is," Master Yoda agrees, surprisingly.

I don't want to think about how Obi-Wan will react when he discovers what transpired here. He will, undoubtedly, be furious, and he'll try to take it out on the twins, which is a feeling I can relate to myself, but I know they are not to blame. I have not, unfortunately, been able to break my padawan out of the tendency to take everything personally, however. But it's not as though he doesn't have the right to be angry. I am, too. Just not at them. Not entirely. Maybe I will be once it finally sinks in, but I only blame Sidious – and myself, for not seeing it sooner. And maybe Dooku. Just a little bit. But I know even he was doing what he thought was right.

"Do you know how this happened?" Obi-Wan asks, "And..." He has that look on his face now. He wants to know what's happening to Anakin and Aniya, and if I know. It's best if I don't think about it, but I can't stop. There was nothing quite like seeing the look of total blankness on their faces. I've seen it before, mainly after their own padawans left, but I never... I don't know if they even knew what they were doing. And I can never forgive the Council for what they did, but the knowledge that they're entirely gone is...

"The Jedi were accused of treason. I know no more than that," I reply.

"It was his plan from the start," Dooku explains, "To use the Jedi's army to destroy them, and frame the Jedi for treason. Or, preferably, to wait until they truly commit treason."

"The Jedi would never do that!" Obi-Wan protests, angrily.

"Do not be certain of that, Obi-Wan," I object. "We do not know what happened with surety. No one was present."

Obi-Wan doesn't look any happier about it. "What about the survivors? Do you know where they are? Do you know...?"

"The twins are alive," I promise.

"Who did this?" Obi-Wan presses, "I must know."

"It was a... complicated plot, I believe," I answer, "When I went to the prison level, one of the Temple Guards had turned on the others. I suspect there were more throughout the Temple."

"Perhaps we should check the security recordings," Obi-Wan says.

"If go to the security recordings you do, only pain will you find," Yoda cautions.

"I must know, Masters," he replies firmly, heading towards the camera room. I won't be able to talk him down from this, though I do not have a good feeling about it. I don't know how he'll react to seeing this. "We need to recalibrate the code as well," he adds.

We follow a distance behind him. I can only silently hope the twins won't come back soon and realize the codes in question have been recalibrated – the clones aren't our concern.

My heart twists painfully, sharply, when I see the recording of Anakin and Aniya fighting a group of other Jedi, covering for one another with the same smooth grace they always fight with. This is happening again. It happened with Xanatos, and I thought I could keep it from ever happening again – that I would never have to see another of my padawans Falling. I can't help noticing how Master Yoda himself is visibly upset at seeing it, or maybe it's only that this is simpler to focus on than Obi-Wan. It was mostly out of my control, but it still feels like I should have spared Obi-Wan this.

"It can't be," he breathes, shaking his head, "It can't be."

I turn it off before Obi-Wan himself can when Sidious appears, standing in front of the twins as they kneel in front of him. The sight floods me with fury. He took them from us. From me. From their families.

"Destroy the Sith, we must," Master Yoda declares.

"We cannot defeat Sidious," Dooku objects, "He's too powerful for us. He has all the clones at his disposal, and his master may return."

"There are only two," Obi-Wan objects, somehow managing to stay semi-level-headed. Maybe because he's still in shock, "What were you, then?"

"It appears Darth Plagueis has abandoned the Rule of Two," Dooku replies, "It is hard for us to predict how many there are."

"We must stop him," I argue, and maybe I am, just a little, blinded by vengeance, "We have to stop Sidious before he becomes more powerful. I saw the twins at the Temple. They are not dangerous."

"Twisted by the Dark Side, the Skywalkers have become," Master Yoda replies, "The children you trained, gone they are."

Now would certainly not be the right time to confess about my own embracing the Dark Side. "They are not gone," I argue firmly, "I cannot believe that. They let me live, even if they should not have."

"Dangerous, the Dark Side is," Yoda frowns, visibly unhappy, "Know this, you do."

"I know, better than anyone, the consequences of the Dark Side," I reply bluntly, because it's true – two of my padawans have Fallen.

"Find the Skywalkers, you must, Obi-Wan," Master Yoda commands, "Destroy the Emperor, I will."

"It's suicide," Dooku objects, "For both of you."

"I will go with Master Yoda," I decide, knowing full-well that Obi-Wan will never be able to win his fight, if it indeed does reach that point. Not to mention how we do not know their location. I want to go talk to the twins too, but they'll never be safe until Sidious is gone.

"You could die," Dooku warns.

"I am prepared, if I must be," I reply firmly, "We all are."

"I can't kill them," Obi-Wan says – he's looking at me now, and I have no idea what he's asking. There's nothing I can offer him.

"Bring them home," I reply firmly. "That is the most anyone can do now. Free them from Sidious."

"I don't know where to look," Obi-Wan argues.

"Use your feelings," Yoda replies, "And find them, you will."

I swallow my anger with Yoda for ordering him so flippantly to kill them. They're our only hope, and I cannot imagine it any other way.

Final Notes: If you want to join our Discord to receive updates or just hang out, here's the invite link, and please delete the spaces! :) discord . gg / nqSxuz2

You can find us on tumblr at fanfictasia (which is our more serious blog which does have controversial posts on it; I won't be offended if you choose to block it, promise), and disastertriowriting (which is our fun blog with crack posts or incorrect SW quotes; we also advertise our SW gift exchanges on there)

And! We have a YT channel for tributes! Please delete the spaces in the link. :D youtube channel / UC_g1M5rSCxJUzQCRS29B6pA

Finally, if you're interested, you can submit a SW gift fic request via the following form (delete the spaces): forms . gle / rmXWtRomMMaULuPa6

NEW: We've just opened a SW Anakin-clones fic request form as well. :) (delete the spaces): forms . gle / SC5gBdwhXpTNJidr7