Heeeyyyy! New chapter! and quicker than updates have been recently too haha. I'm happy about it :D So, I hope this chapter makes sense. I had a hard time getting what I was picturing in my head down in words heh. I hope it doesn't seem disjointed or anything, it was just really hard to describe what I was envisioning. If it helps you can google some of the things I mentioned haha. Especially the Tuk'ata :D I think they're awesome!
Yes, by the way, this chapter only shows what's happening in the Alternate Timeline.
Anyway, thank you for all of your reviews, I'm glad that you guys are liking the sequel! I'm having so much fun writing it! Thank you for all of your reviews and PLEASE continue to review! I love hearing what you guys thought of the chapters! Enjoy!

(Alternate Timeline)

The three Jedi gradually made their way through the canyon, their steps silent, their eyes scanning the rock walls towering around them. Anakin lead the way, the two boys flanking him on either side; all three of them kept their hands on their lightsabers.

"I don't like this…" Galen murmured.

Anakin shook his head. "I don't either…it's too silent, and I don't see any signs of life. We should have at least heard something by now…"

"Do we even know where we're going?" Galen asked.

Anakin sighed. "Yes, I do…I…I think I recognize this presence, and I'm following it to its source."

"You said they…do you mean that there's more than one?" Luke piped up.

Anakin smiled a little. "No…no there's just one. I said they because we don't know if the presence is a he or a she…though if I'm right it's a he…" Anakin murmured.

The two boys glanced at each other. "Father…if I may ask…who is he?"

Anakin kept his eyes trained on the path in front of him for a moment. "Let's just hope I'm wrong for now Luke…" he eventually said quietly.

He could tell both boys were impatient to know what was causing their deep seated unease, but Anakin refused to elaborate. If he was wrong he didn't want to cause them any early worry and end up stressing them out unnecessarily. Keeping in a sigh, he continued to follow the presence as it reached out and beckoned to him. He resisted the strong pull to the darkness, even as it caressed against his senses and pulled to the other side of him that he was gaining with this merge.

"What's that up ahead?" Galen suddenly asked quietly as the group rounded a sharp corner in the canyon.

Anakin slowed his pace, allowing the two boys to come even with him. The knowledge he'd gained from his lifetime as Vader allowed him to answer their question with surety.

"That's the Sith Academy…we're in the Valley of the Dark Lords…the burial ground for the Sith Lords…" he mumbled.

They all stood silently, staring off in the distance toward the pyramidal structure. The sun cast eerie shadows across the valley in front of them whenever it wasn't obstructed by the clouds gathered above the valley. Looming yet crumbling statues, pillars, and buildings dotted the space between the small group of Jedi and the Academy. Instinctively, Anakin's eyes skimmed the dark corners and building's entrances, seeing if he could spot any imminent threats.

"We're walking into a trap…" he said softly, eyes riveted on the other side of the valley. There were tuk'ata lurking in the shadows, he could spot their slight movement. For some reason, though, they were not attacking. It put him on edge.

"Should we go back then?" Galen asked.

Anakin shook his head. "No…no…we're going to spring the trap." He took a moment to smirk at the familiar nature of his words before continuing. "We're headed for the Academy. Stay on alert: there's tuk'ata in the shadows. They're not attacking right now but…it's best to be ready just in case."

Both of the boys unhooked their lightsabers from their sides, though they didn't activate them. Anakin left his at his side, not quite enough on edge to unhook it…yet.

The slowly made their way forward, and Anakin let his eyes drift around. A tuk'ata withdrew into the shadows as they passed, its red eyes glowing in the darkness as it watched them pass. He repressed a shudder, keeping his eyes on every tuk'ata they walked by. None of them made a move towards them: they all retreated like the first one had.

"All these eyes are making me jumpy," Galen grumbled. "I don't like it."

"I'm not happy with all the eyes either Galen, don't worry," Anakin murmured. "There's too many of them here to feel comfortable…"

"You were right Father, they are large…" Luke said quietly.

"Just stay close and we should be fine," Anakin told him softly.

The two wordlessly drew closer to Anakin, just as the group finally found themselves at the edge of the steps that lead into the Academy.

"They're waiting for us in there…" Anakin said emotionlessly. The dark side was thick here, drawing him in a way that he was not comfortable with as it called him inside. He repressed a shiver, feeling as if the planet's temperature had suddenly dropped dramatically.

"Well then let's go," Galen said. "No point prolonging it."

Ascending the steps, Anakin found his eyes drawn to two enormous statues on either side of them. Two humanoid figures kneeling under some great weight.

"Slaves," he muttered in disgust to himself, turning is eyes from the sight.

Walking through the doors, there was a spacious room, and on the other side of the room was a dual staircase. There were ledges all the way up the walls around them, gradually growing darker on the way up. The entire place was dark, and the giant carved monument in between the dual staircases was crumbling and cracking.

"Cheery," Galen murmured.

Anakin sighed, studying the centerpiece of the staircase as he started ascending the right side. "I'll say…"

He heard footsteps echoing towards them from the left side of the hall and his head whipped around to the other two. "Get over here! Now!" he hissed.

They both obeyed immediately, following him in a frantic ascension up the ledges and into the darkness, hopefully far enough that they wouldn't be seen by any prying eyes.

Anakin had just helped Luke up to the ledge when a lone figure appeared at the top of the left staircase. Anakin glanced around them, taking note of the random red eyes around them that stared intently at them. They all crouched down, eyeing the black robed figure below.

Anakin's eyes narrowed. He knew that walk. The dignified air of it, the strut…everything about that particular person was burned into his memory—both timeline's memory—forever. He leaned forward a little more, instinctively glancing at his two companions.

Galen had just been about to place his hand down when Anakin's shot out, grabbing his wrist and pulling him closer to the group. Galen opened his mouth to protest, but Anakin clamped his hand over his mouth, pointing to the space next to where the boy had almost placed his hand.

There a very large Hssiss was curled up asleep. Galen would have woken it had he put his hand down. Galen paled, turning to Anakin. Thanks, he mouthed.

Anakin nodded, turning his attention back to the figure down below. Their hood had been removed as they made their way to another hall that somehow Anakin knew led to the lower levels. He frowned. Instead of silvery hair, the figure had bright red hair slicked back. They had a fair complexion from what he could see…

The features didn't match who he suspected, but everything else did. The dark side of the Force gathered around this person, bending to their every whim it seemed.

As he watched, the figure slowly descended into the dark lower levels of the Academy. He frowned, a sudden unease spreading through him. He glanced around the room, taking note of the fact that the shadows were moving, the red eyes that were watching them getting closer as well.

He tapped both boys on the shoulder, gesturing with his head down to the floor. Slowly they all started their decent; though when Anakin noticed that the red eyes continued to get closer he quickened his pace.

So did the tuk'ata.

Anakin dropped to the floor and hastily made his way to the door, doing his best to be quiet at the same time. The darkness around him seemed to laugh as he watched the snarling tuk'ata slink to the ground floor. They reached the door and Anakin did a quick head count of the tuk'ata he could see so far.

Three…seven…twelve…

He waited for the other two to exit the temple before he followed after them. For a moment, he thought they might just get out without much incident. However, the darkness suddenly seemed to rush towards him, and a voice he hadn't heard in a very long time broke through his mental barriers into his conscious.

Going so soon Anakin my boy?

There was a snarl on his left and Anakin reacted just in time to pull out his lightsaber and stop the tuk'ata that had leapt at them from the shadows from pouncing on his son. He pulled the saber out of the creature, taking in the tuk'ata emerging from their hiding spots throughout the valley.

"Run!" he told the other two sharply.

It seemed that one word was the trigger for everything to happen at the same time. The tuk'ata that were emerging broke into a run the same time that the trio of Jedi did, and the other two lightsabers sprung to life. Barks and snarls echoed around them as they took off in a full out sprint out of the valley.

Normally, Anakin wouldn't run from a fight. Though considering how many tuk'ata there was and the seriousness of the message he now knew needed delivered to the Council immediately, he didn't want to risk it. He took up the rear, lashing out at any tuk'ata that got too close to their group for comfort. Up ahead the occasional tuk'ata would lunge at the two boys, who would instinctively lash out with their sabers in time to stop the large creatures. Anakin did his best not to look back and see just how many snapping at their heels.

The ship came into view and Anakin steeled himself to stand and fight the tuk'ata, knowing it would take a while to start up the ship.

"Luke, go start the ship!" he shouted.

Luke nodded, hurrying up the lowering ramp of the ship. Galen and Anakin both turned, bracing themselves to face the tuk'ata.

There was a lot more than Anakin had originally anticipated.

The creatures crouched low to the ground, slinking forward with a snarl as the circled the two of them. Anakin did his best to make sure that none of them were sneaking around Galen and him to the ramp of the ship. For a moment there was just tense anticipation and the hum of the lightsabers before the tuk'ata started their assault.

Anakin and Galen both laughed out, alarmed by how quickly the tuk'ata were moving now. Several launched at them at the same time, and they drew on the Force to send several flying back into the cavern wall. Anakin slashed one across the face, causing it to yelp and retreat. Galen got one right through the stomach, tossing it aside just in time to catch another across the throat. They both moved quickly, fully aware that in this situation there was no room for error. So long as all the Sith Hounds didn't jump on them at once they should be fine.

The engines hummed behind them, and Anakin was sure that they were ready to take off. Galen and he took a step back to get to the ramp, though Anakin was halted as he continued to fight off the tuk'ata. Galen paused on the ramp.

"Anakin, come on!" Galen shouted at him.

He tried to step back, but found himself cut off again. The tuk'ata were starting to surround him. He cut down another one, whipping around just in time to keep another one from getting him from behind. "Go, I'll hold them off!"

Galen seemed stupefied. "We're not going to leave without you!"

Anakin scowled a moment before smiling smugly. "I'll be fine, all right? Go! Tell the Council…" he paused as he sent five tuk'ata flying into the cavern wall. "Tell the Council that Sidious is here, that I saw him with my own eyes. I know it's him. I heard him."

While holding off one tuk'ata, another one sunk its teeth into his good arm. He gave a short cry of pain before running his saber through its skull, killing it almost instantly. "I'll hold them off, you guys have to go! Now! The Council needs to be warned! The Galaxy is probably at stake."

He lunged forward and cut through a tuk'ata that had launched itself toward the ramp, earning himself a scratch down his leg as he was forced to turn his attention back on the pack. He had to keep these things from overrunning the ship.

"GO!" he shouted at Galen.

He was grimly satisfied to hear the ramp closing behind him. "Looks like it's just me and you guys," he chuckled darkly to the tuk'ata pack he faced.

Luke turned from his seat in the pilot chair as Galen entered. He seemed pale. "Where's Father?" Luke asked.

"He's holding off the tuk'ata so we can get out of here," Galen said, his voice eerily calm.

"What?" Luke exclaimed, standing up almost immediately. Galen forced him back into the pilot seat.

"We'll be overrun by tuk'ata if he doesn't hold them off; he's giving us a chance to get out of here."

"I'm not going to leave him behind," Luke cried angrily.

"Luke, we have to go now. You're father's a great Jedi I…I'm sure he'll be fine. We have to get back to the Council and warn them about who's here though."

"I won't leave without him! He wouldn't leave me behind!"

A thud echoed around them as a tuk'ata hit the ship. "Luke! We have to go! Now!" Galen shouted at him, his calm exterior breaking for a moment.

Galen's tone held no room for argument. Reluctantly, feeling as if he would throw up, Luke slowly piloted the ship off the ground. His hands were shaking as he steered it up and out of the atmosphere.

Galen put a hand on Luke's shoulder. "I'm…I'm sure he'll be okay…"

He better be, Luke couldn't help but think vehemently.

Anakin gave a sigh of relief as the ship pulled away, though he could feel his son's despair and anger from the ground. I'll make it Luke, don't worry about me. I'll be fine, he thought, sending reasurrance his son's way. He didn't know if Luke would pick up on it, but he didn't have the time to be sure that he did.

He cried out in pain as one of the tuk'ata claws got past his defenses, slashing across his abdomen. There was so many of them, and he was starting to be overrun. The bite on his arm was bleeding, his leg was bleeding from where the tuk'ata had gotten him down his leg, and now his abdomen was bleeding where he'd been slashed. Still, he pushed through the pain to fight off the creatures. He had to get through this, he had to. Padme would never forgive him if he died here…

Another claw got past his defenses, scratching the side of his face. Anakin stumbled back, wearily summoning the Force once again to push back another group of the creatures.

How much longer can I keep this up?

Just as his pace was starting to slow down, there was a roar behind him, a sound that made his blood run cold. It didn't help that the tuk'ata suddenly cowered, turning tail and running away from whatever was behind him. Anakin whipped around.

This day can't get any worse…

Right behind him was a determined, starving looking Terentatek. Anakin paled a little, slowly starting to stumble back before he broke out in a full out sprint. Hissing, he grasped his abdomen as pain flashed through him. He was in no shape to be dealing with a Terentatek that wanted to make a meal out of him. From the stories Anakin had heard about these things, he wouldn't be surprised if it had smelled Force Sensitive blood and gone hunting for the source.

The intimidating rancor-like creature dashed after him, hot on Anakin's heels. Anakin could feel the air against his back as the Terentatek swiped at him and barely missed. He grimaced.

Gotta hide, gotta hide, I need a place to hide that it can't reach me in…

A cave off to the side caught his attention, and Anakin made a sharp turn in its direction. As he burst through the mouth of the cave, he realized that the Terentatek would still be able to get in there. He groaned, eyes darting frantically for anywhere he could hide.

The Force was kind to him, and he spotted a hole large enough for him to fit through but too small for the Terentatek.

It's probably a tuk'ata den, he thought. However, the roar behind him made up his mind. Better than a starving Terentatek!

Anakin dashed across the expanse of the cave, hitting the ground as the Terentatek's claw swung at him again just as he slid into the den. He skidded down a tunnel, tumbling out into a small dug out burrow in the ground. He scrambled back, pressing himself against the wall as he stared up the tunnel he had just tumbled down.

The Terentatek roared in frustration, clawing desperately to reach its prey to no avail. He also heard the familiar snarls of the tuk'ata. The Terentatek roared angrily, pulling away from the den and—judging by the yelps followed by sudden silence—killed the tuk'ata that had been out there.

They were probably the tuk'ata that made this den, he thought grimly. At least I won't have to worry about them returning…

Anakin leaned his head against the earth wall, breathing heavily. Well this is a nice situation you've gotten yourself into Skywalker.

A strange sort of quiet yowl next to him made him jump, almost immediately flying into a defensive position. However, when he found the culprit of the noise, he simply stared.

It was a tuk'ata, a very young tuk'ata, curled up not too far from him. Its beady black eyes blinked at him, obviously trying to figure out why he was in its den.

Black eyes…it must not completely be corrupt by the dark side yet, he thought.

The tuk'ata stretched, getting up on its feet and cautiously approaching Anakin. He held as still as possible as the little thing sniffed him, trying to figure out what he was. Slowly and hesitantly, Anakin raised his hand.

The tuk'ata snarled in warning and he paused. The snarls quieted, and the tuk'ata sniffed his hand. When he was sure it wouldn't bite him for trying, Anakin very carefully scratched under its chin.

Its eyes drooped shut lazily, and it tilted its head into his hand, showing that it liked the action. Anakin couldn't help but smile as he slowly went from scratching under its chin to petting its head gently.

"You don't seem so bad," he murmured, letting the creature crawl into his lap. The tuk'ata sniffed at his bleeding wounds before it suddenly started licking them. Anakin squirmed a little. "Don't get any ideas," he warned it, loath of the idea of the thing deciding he tasted good and attempting to eat him.

It's semi-sentient Anakin, it only understands the Sith Language, it has no idea what you're saying, he scolded himself.

The Sith Language…

I know the Sith Language…

No you don't, he told himself, but he felt like he was wrong, though for the life of him he couldn't think why.

Vader, he suddenly realized. I do know the Sith Language, because of Vader's lifetime.

Curiously he looked down at the young tuk'ata that was licking his wounds clean, curled up in his lap. Hesitantly, he reached towards the developing part of himself he knew to be from Vader, hoping he would have this particular skill from his other life as a Sith by now.

"Little one…" he said. His voice came out strange; in a language he would not have known had it not been for Vader's memories.

The tuk'ata paused, looking up at him expectantly, and he smiled. It worked. He could talk to this creature.

"It's just you and me now…" he said. The tuk'ata killed outside of the den by the Terentatek were probably this little one's parents. And since it wasn't hostile like the others were, and since it was probably defenseless right now...

"But I'll watch out for you."

The little tuk'ata blinked at him, though Anakin was sure that it understood him. It returned to cleaning his wounds with his tongue, and he returned to gently petting it.

It seems I've made a new friend, he thought in amusement. Out of all the places…

Now if only he could find a way off of this planet…