Author's note: The prime reason why Luke is not currently thinking about building his own Jedi Order instead of training Anakin independently is that 1) he's going to be moving around a lot if he wants to save some of the members in the Jedi Order currently, and 2) the Coruscanti Jedi feels responsible for most Force Users in the galaxy unless you are in somewhere like Corellian space, then it's the Green Jedi. Right now, Luke is not in the position to push it barring a reform within which is why he's trying to make Kenobi admit his feelings for Tachi, so maybe that seed can spread to more open-minded people to some of those even the Council. Another reason: Queen Julia of Berdotta is a Force User and a politician. The Berdottan sages (Force Shamans) have legal rights and legal control of Force Users in their system. The Force Shamans of Haruun Kal also have sway in their jungles regarding the use of the Force. You'll see a point here-compared to the Jedi, those groups associate very closely with local governments, up to the point you can say that they're under their leadership and administration. The Jedi have given themselves to the Core centuries ago, and Luke believes that the Core shouldn't have jurisdiction over Force Adepts, even if the hypothetical full military of the Jedi Order has to be used to accomplish this goal. And this is Luke almost at his nicest as could be with them. If this was the Order during the Mandalorian War or Dark Wars, well it wouldn't be pretty...

Feel free to join my Discord server: /3b3BxdHQKG. You can talk about whatever you want in there. SW and RDR channels are in there as well.

Chapter 14

Let it never be said that the Trade Federation doesn't still have a worthy Navy that can keep someone on their toes.

That was a thought that went through the Jedi Padawan's head as Siri maneuvered the ship, its lasers cutting through the enemy's ships in proportion.

It would be a stretch to even say this battle was not going in the Naboo's favor. However, the Jedi pilots made up for that-yet again under the command of Adi Gallia and Siri Tachi. Their Delta-7 fighters have been useful in the battle. Experience only secured the victory within their grasp. They have been through this countless times with many skirmishes, and while the engineering savvy of the Federation couldn't be referred to as anything short of incompetent, that didn't equate to pure stupidity.

The stars blazed with fire as Siri navigated her Jedi starfighter through the empty skies. Droid starfighters attacked like a pack of Kath hounds, their lasers cutting through the black void with deadly precision, cutting down a fair number of pilots.

"Kriff..." Siri murmured as her hands gripped the control stick of her fighter as she dodged another volley of blaster fire. The Force flowed through her, sharpening her reflexes and guiding her movements.

"Padawan, on your right!" Gallia's voice crackled through the comms. Siri glanced over her shoulder, catching sight of her Master's shop in the thick of it.

"I see them," she replied, banking sharply to the left to evade a pair of vulture droids that were locked onto her tail. They overshot their mark, and Siri took the opportunity to spin her ship around, unleashing a flurry of laser fire. One of the droids exploded into a shower of debris, while the other spun out of control before vanishing into the void.

The Nabooian pilots were holding their own, their borrowed Delta-7 starfighters darting in and out of the fray with impressive agility. Siri admired their courage; they were overpowered and outgunned, but they fought with the fierce determination of those defending their home. She could see Captain Ric Olié's ship leading a squadron straight towards the heart of the enemy fleet, a bold move that would draw fire away from the Jedi but also came with the complications of not gaining victory just yet.

This was going to take a while.

The Commander collapsed onto the ground at the head of the palace, stunning both Neimoidians and Nabooians. But none of them showed emotions for long. Not even Padmé Amidala, an advocate for peace, for she knew; ultimately, it had to be done: Padmé angled her ELG-3A blaster pistol and shot the second guard before they could react. Beside her, Sabé, Rabé, Eirtaé, Saché, and Yané lowered their pistols and shredded through the first Neimoidian gunnery troops. Skywalker, Jinn, and Kenobi were the next to attack, cutting down several in their way.

The Neimoidian gunnery troops didn't stand a chance. Down and down, they went. The Nabooians pushed their way to the entrance, sustaining not even a single casualty. No words were spoken. No voices of relief. Nothing. Only the sight of some collecting the various weapons lying on the ground.

Inside the palace, more troopers — hulking giants unknown to anyone besides Luke — were genetically modified against their will to create the brutes' brutal mindset and hulking figure. They were so dangerous to both enemies and allies that they were only activated in extreme situations, considered one of them. Armed with heavy vibro maces, the brutes were a slow yet intimidating tank against most enemies.

Luke was not "most enemies." Lightsaber in hand, he swung around, cutting down the first two savages. Queen Amidala and Nabooians followed within, shooting feasibly at their intimidating forms. Kenobi engaged in a battle with a few of them, his lightsaber working.

Jinn delivered with the Force at his will. His eyes closed, and he gave himself to the Force.

The more they collapsed at the might of the Jedi, the more the Nabooians pushed in, causing the Neimoidians to fall. The Neimoidians and battle droids behind them fired whenever they could. The Jedi deflected their bolts back against them, dropping them onto the floor with great ease.

Their steps didn't break. Luke stabbed his lightsaber through a brute, dropping another one onto the ground. Now that the area was clear, the Nabooians aimed at them, allowing the Jedi to deal with the melee fighters.

They did so easily. Jinn fell back to Kenobi's side, absorbing strikes. The brute that Kenobi was dealing with had the Jedi Padawan actively dodging and ducking, shunning his robes a few times. Two of them went flying in a single motion from Jinn's palm and slammed against the wall. One collapsed, unconscious; the other recovered and attacked.

The two hulking giants surrounded Jinn, axes raised. Jinn performed much better than Obi-Wan, lightsaber interlocked against the vibro maces. The Maverick Jedi twirled around in a manner that would have impressed Jedi Lords of the past, cutting one of them in the thigh, allowing him to falter enough for Jinn to deliver a clean, smooth kill with a stab through the chest. Temporarily blocking blaster bolts from the droids and Neimoidians who attempted to sneak up, Jinn locked against the advancing vibro mace and attacked, pushing his warrior on the defensive. They exchanged several fierce strikes, with Jinn pushing him back more and more, before eventually, he gained the advantage and slammed his saber through his chestplate, dropping the brute.

The Jedi Master looked up to see Obi-Wan rushing ahead, his lightsaber engaged in combat. Yet again, Jinn came to Kenobi's side and blocked.

While Luke was engaged with six brutes with vibro maces, the Jedi Master caught their attacks whenever they struck, not giving them even one chance to get a blow off of him. A punishing strike and one warrior dropped onto the floor, his lightsaber impaled deeply through the chest. He sliced the other through the abdomen. With a few series of strikes, Luke continued to deliver; their bigger muscle mass was nothing to him. The one on the left's arm extended too closely, and the blade cut through his hand, if only accidentally. With a swift Shi Cha, the warrior's head flew across the air, ending his misery.

The warrior on the right stabbed his mace forward, and Luke caught the blade, instinctively stretching himself out of the way for the blade to come within meters of his thigh. He was saved only by one of the warriors behind him reaching for his hand, causing him to pull back briefly and strike yet again, catching the mace. He closed his eyes and allowed his pain to flow into the Force, while absently catching strikes from opposite sides. He allowed his grip to loosen over his hilt only slightly to swing around and catch one between the stomach, his armor the only thing protecting him from being skewered entirely. The lightsaber still did a fair number of impacts, with pieces of armor and skin falling off.

Luke's devastating assault didn't end there. For the mid-swing of that attack, his blade marked the shoulder of the other, causing the blade to slice deeply and prompting the Neimoidian to roar in pain. He retaliated with strong and angry assaults, not even thinking about his still-functioning comrade. A big mistake, as his mace struck his ally. Luke slammed his lightsaber through that one's stomach, ending his life. He tossed his blade at the injured one, bisecting him into two.

Six were disposed of. Only one remained. The Neimoidian approached, his stance battle-ready. True to his genetic modification, he showed no signs of fear.

Perhaps the Neimoidian would have recognized the fruit of battle had his brain not been programmed. The Neimoidian instead chose to strike, coming close to his body, barely even exerting with the backing of the Force. Luke parried and swerved, keeping his lightsaber locked against the vibro, and spinning around, eviscerating him with minimum ease.

The Jedi Master barely broke a sweat as he moved alongside the two other Jedi, who were still deflecting blaster bolts from battle droids and gunners. He also absorbed the bolts, allowing their own gunners to fire through them whenever they raised their arms.

The rest were cleared out, and the few survivors began to run. Behind them, the battle droids stood, perishing at the lightsabers of the Jedi or the Nabooians' blaster bolts.

Luke closed his eyes and turned around, facing his comrades.

"It would seem the Sith have altered the plans," he said before anyone could question him.

"Should we go after this supposed Sith?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Leave that to me. You have another mission..."

Aurra Sing didn't know what the Sith's dealings were. But any opportunity to kill Jedi, she would take. It would be one step closer to killing An'yo Kuyo—the woman who found her in the pits of Nar Shaddaa and raised her into an even worse life of servitude and pain. She would bring that wretched Order to the ground if it was the last thing she'd ever do.

Sing had met with the Zabrak from afar after what happened. The beast gifted her with days of training and subtle Force tactics. She didn't understand why she'd needed them, but she wasn't up to ditching the Force thing entirely. After all, a girl's gotta go around and have some sort of fun every once in a while.

Whatever the Sith was planning that would bring down that idiotic Order, Sing had to kill a man by the name of "Luke Skywalker." The other Jedi were inconsequential. The Sith were focused on him and him alone. If she was able to pull through, the Sith promised personally that she would be heavily rewarded for her accomplishment. Likely, there would be some more training along the way. She couldn't wait!

Relishing in the Dark Side of the Force, Sing had the Sith to thank for this new clarity. It felt so good, better than everything else. She felt on top of the world like she could crush any enemy without thought. It only amplified her skills tenfold, based on speed, her blaster accuracy, and the skills with a lightsaber that she had longingly denied to herself for some reason.

So that was why Sing was able to tap into the Force and felt the siren call of the Light Side. Ah, such blasphemy! She would kill this Skywalker and bring his head to the Sith who met with her and the other one, showing that she was capable!

She moved stealthily. She didn't need anything else. She had everything she ever wanted. Besides, she doubted that the Sith didn't have any plans elsewhere!

She made it to the hangar, feeling the Force vibrating strongly here. Ah, she would have to get used to that.

The hangar was dark, devoid of all life. Ships were here abandoned for later. The few materials were tools for ships or other hangar supplies.

Lights flickered and dimmed, illuminating the shadows of a dark-robed man, half of his body and still youthful features obscured in darkness. Her chest tightened, and the bounty hunter stiffened.

"The Force is with you, Aurra Sing." A harmonious voice cut through the thick air, breaking the silence. Fear promptly shot through her. She didn't know why. But she felt it. Felt so small. She wasn't! Measured, she approached the patient man. Waves of resignation hit the woman's barely trained shields. "But you are not and never will be a Sith."

Steadily, Sing approached the entity and stood across from them: a him, it was a him. Her eyes stared deep into his soul, hands folded between his robes. She almost whistled as she neared. He wasn't that bad, appearance-wise. Such a shame that she would have to kill him. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been above having a quick one-night with him.

Obi-Wan Kenobi nibbled his lip as he cut down another row of battle droids. The Queen kept close to the Jedi, ensuring them for her protection. Even without Luke, the Jedi were still not helpless, engaging in combat with various battle droids and Neimoidians being cut down at their hands.

The Naboo made it to the Throne Room. The ornamented doors opened, and Obi-Wan was momentarily captivated by the architectural design. The walls and floor of the throne room were adorned with polished marble slabs in different colors, ranging from gray to red. One of those walls featured a viewscreen that allowed the monarch to communicate with the outside world without leaving their royal seat. The monarch's throne itself was an ornate chair on a raised podium fronted by a low, flat-surfaced divider with a composite holoprojector built into it.

Residing on the throne, however, was a male Neimoidian; Rune Haako, with red-gold eyes and green skin, wore purple clothing and... was that crested fabric tiara?! Apprehension accompanied the Neimoidian for a moment before it was submerged.

Obi-Wan took note of possible exits, and so did some of the Nabooians who positioned themselves there, aiming their blasters at the droids and Neimoidians within, who returned the favor near the Viceroy. Haako's hands rested on either side of him.

"Your Highness," the Neimoidian greeted.

"Rune Haako, or is it Viceroy now," Amidala responded.

"Viceroy, Your Highness, self-appointed if anything else," Haako sighed, "since you've indisposed of the Trade Federation's last one."

Amidala trained her blaster on the Neimoidian. He recognized by the dark look in her eyes that she WANTED him to defy her demands. "You will surrender Naboo back to us."

Haako shook his head, his face becoming stone. "You don't know what you've walked into, Your Highness. Your authority won't work on me."

Amidala glared. "Nevertheless," she told him with icy calmness, "I'm taking Naboo and all your captives. You can either surrender or be destroyed. It's your choice, but I warn you not to underestimate my patience."

"There will be no bargain, Your Highness. We shall enjoy ruling over your planet."

"I won't sign the treaty," Amidala growled.

"No, we doubt that with Gunray in custody, it would be believed. However, we have another purpose for you..."

Those words rang with twisted sincerity, but the meaning behind them was lost to the Jedi.

Kenobi narrowed his eyes, waiting for the next move...

Before...

A scream filled his vision. Not anyone within the same vicinity, but...

He knew who it was only a second later and shouted deep within himself.

'SIRI?!'

Kenobi's eyes widened, and he cried out. He heard a shriek through his senses, and he was ill-prepared for it.

His body trembled.

"Back!" Qui-Gon barked. In an impressive demonstration of the Force, the Jedi Master yanked hard, saving the Nabooians and his Padawan.

Beeping filled the air. At first, it was slow and steady.

It was at that moment he realized Luke was right. He still loved Siri.

"They're bombing Theed!" Someone shouted.

And Obi-Wan felt it. Buildings collapsed, people died. He heard the structure, and at last, the palace trembled.

He felt it. The bombs were now here. They would all die.

"I love you, Ob-"

Kenobi pulled the bombs over to him. Just three seconds remaining. Two. One.

A true Jedi would have sent them out harmlessly. Instead, the thousands of lives blinking out made Kenobi snarl. Unable to let it go.

Instead of sending them out of the window, he sent them flying at the self-appointed Viceroy, his eyes widening. The next moment, the chair of Rune Haako exploded, the radius of the eruption colliding with the Jedi and Nabooians inside.

The palace trembled more, and all looked around urgently, but not the Jedi Padawan, who remained still as if he were lifeless. Obi-Wan blinked, his eyes locked on the disintegrated form where the self-proclaimed Viceroy had just resided, horrified but... amused.

If one looked closely, they would see a twinge of sulfuric yellow enclosed within crimson in his blue orbs...

In the desert of Tatooine, Shmi Skywalker had always been afraid. The woman was constantly in fear that her son's lingering innocence would be taken from him far too soon.

She had thought that those days of fear were over.

That was debunked when her Ani screamed in the ship they'd been stored away in.

"Anakin, you're having a nightmare!" Shmi exclaimed, grasping her small baby boy, "You're going to be okay!"

She didn't see what he saw. Hundreds, no, thousands of lives blinked out of existence.

He had witnessed the death of many before, yet never so intensely as this.

Lives flashed before his eyes as he spotted their hopes, ambitions, struggles, horrors, and longing.

The form of a mother holding two small children, around his age, trying to hide, looking up with fear as explosions engulfed them, never to wake again.

A married couple, holding onto each other, eyes full of sorrow, clung to each other before they too faded.

A group of younglings in an abandoned building—a school or something—were being bombarded. A woman cried out as a man pushed her away from a room, being cut down by explosions.

All this and more gripped his mind as death and pain cut through the Force.

Life melted into death, blinking out one by one, screams cut into the air...

When she asked him if he was alright for the fifth or sixth time, she didn't ever realize she would be afraid of her son until her heart twinged in fear when her son stared up at her, more like beyond, with cold, sharp eyes...

In the Council Chambers, Master Yoda gasped, releasing his favorite glimmer stick onto the floor, causing a thud to echo in the air. He clasped a hand to his chest.

"Master Yoda?" Ki-Adi-Mundi questioned in concern.

"A grave mistake," groaned the Grandmaster, "A grave mistake," he repeated in a rasp, "We have made. Proceed to Naboo, we must, now, if anything is to be recovered."

It would be too late.

Within his ancient heart, the Grandmaster knew that much.

Normally, the office of Senator Palpatine was full of commotion due to the numerous connections he had formed throughout the years. Small smiles and warm greetings were all that many received. He managed to remain controversy-free, as nothing could be brought up against him.

Now, however, it was invaded with the cackling of a psychopath, reprobate in its peculiarity. As he had officially been left to fill out paperwork, Sidious did not need to hide his exuberance at the events.

"Ah, Skywalker, I do hope you enjoy your first little gift!" Palpatine exclaimed to the empty air.

After another few moments of exhilarated laughter, he finally forced himself to release at last and focus on the window. That did not prevent a sardonic smirk from crossing his lips. The bloody sunset that reflected across his face made his gut twist in sick fascination.

"Now is the time for another one..."

The Dark Side flooded him, and Sidious waited.

Soon, Skywalker would learn the ramifications of meddling with the Grand Plan.

Author's note: This is not Luke/Aurra. It's just the Sith have plans, and she's a generally effective bounty hunter.

I realized when I was writing about Shmi being freed with Anakin that she or any parent wouldn't allow their child to fly a Starfighter in a war. Force be damned. Any parent would have thrown a fit and then some if someone even recommended that idea alone. So I had to change other things.

I already see the awaiting storm for Obi-Wan succumbing to the Dark Side. Well, remember, this is the Phantom Menace. He is youthful and impetuous. He's used to being the most powerful of beings-blasters are no threat. He's fast, strong, telekinetic. A superhuman. The rest of the universe holds no fear for him. Then he's thrown off guard. The Naboo's death and decay, as is what happened to Siri, got through him. He's not in the right headspace. I have plans for both of their (hopefully unique) arcs.

May the Force be with you all always.