From: Darth Fanboy <orangecountycowboy@gmail.com>
Subject: Revenge of the Sith: Alternate Ending Fic


Chapter One:  Divergence

Mustafar, a world so scorched it was as scenic as hell itself. Molten fury coursed 
across the planets surface and ash clouded the skies. It was here, that the final 
actions of the Clone Wars were taking place, but as that saga came to a close a new 
era was about to be ushered in. Heralded by a titanic battle being waged against 
two former friends, friends that had been closer than brothers. 

"It's over Anakin, I have the high ground!" 

"Do not underestimate my..." 

In that moment something happened. As if the entire course of the universe strayed 
from its predestined path and took a new course. Only one being alive was able to 
touch that moment, and seize it. In that fraction of a second Anakin Skywalker was 
given the briefest of opportunities. He knew he had the power to crush Obi Wan, he 
knew that this battle had gone on long enough, what he could not figure out was how 
the old man had managed to survive for so long, Obi Wan, who had participated in 
his betrayal along with the Jedi Council, who now sought to end his life. 

The realization flooded his synapses and the insight was of immeasurable value. 
Kenobi was goading him, leading him into a trap, using the fire that burned with 
Anakin to his own advantage. It was a tactic Obi Wan had been fond of employing 
over the years against skilled opponents. And if it wasn't for that pause in time 
he might have fallen for it. Instead of leaping at his enemy to deliver the killing 
blow, Anakin held back, looking to create an opportunity on his own terms. 

"...intelligence! Do you really think I would allow you to bait me in such a way? I 
am a Sith Lord, I am power I am strength and I control my own destiny! And you old 
man are no longer a part of it!" 

Obi Wan gritted his teeth as the sweat rolled down his face, his gambit had failed. 
Skilled in the force as he was Anakin was more so, and stronger as well. Obi Wan's 
mind began to go into overdrive, desperately attempting to formulate a new 
strategy. "Anakin..." he called out. 

"That name no longer has any meaning! I am Darth Vader!" 

The sheer fury of the attack had caught Obi Wan by surprise and Anakin gave him 
little time to react. Instead of diving headfirst towards his prey, Anakin had 
decided to let the world of Mustafar charge for him. With a great push of the force 
the lava spewed forth from the current and overtook Obi Wan. His force-enhanced 
reflexes were not enough, and within seconds Obi Wan began to burn. Falling to the 
searing rocks below him the Jedi Master screamed in agony, his former pupil, now a 
murderer, now stood over him. Anakin looked down to the fallen Jedi. The sensation 
he felt was not what he had expected. Despite besting his former master, despite 
discovering the true potential within himself, Anakin Skywalker's hate still burned 
within him, eclipsing even the malicious joy that might be had from the sight of 
Obi Wan's flesh falling from his body. 

"The price of betrayal is steep Obi Wan. You had followed the Jedi path your entire 
life and look where it led you, now you know the meaning of justice. The kind of 
justice only a Sith is capable of bringing about." 

Obi Wan's could hear the sound of Anakin's footsteps trailing away, and he could 
feel the dark shadow grow even larger over him. Sidious...no...Palpatine had 
arrived as well. The pain he felt was unbearable, he could still feel the Force 
although it faded inside of him, and he mustered every last reserve of strength 
that he had to preserve his mind, so that in his last hours of life he would not be 
afraid. 

There is no death; there is only the Force. 

At the landing bay near Amidala's shuttle, Palpatine had arrived with a contingent 
of clone troopers. The sensation of danger was gone now, Palpatine summonsed the 
Force to him, sensing his surroundings, fixating on a tremendous well of hatred 
that could only be his apprentice. The anger had grown even stronger within him 
now, perhaps a result of being allowed to confront disembowel Nute Gunray, who had 
attempted to assassinate his bride on many occasions. Palpatine expanded his 
vision, attempting to gain more insight was to what had taken place, but as his 
consciousness expanded he felt another strong flicker in the Force. Two of them, 
coming from inside the Nubian ship, Amidala was here, but he could not sense her 
familiar presence. Anakin strode into view, and he walked right toward his master, 
with a confidence and resolve unshaken by his near defeat by Obi Wan. 

"Lord Vader, I trust there were no complications?" 

"Nothing I could not handle master, our betrayal by the Jedi has been avenged. Obi 
Wan Kenobi is dead." 

"Kenobi was here, of course it makes sense. I take it he came along with your 
bride?" 

Anakin fell silent, and Palpatine could sense the hate transform into fear within 
his apprentice. "Tell me Lord Vader, is Padme...with child?" 

"She is my lord, she was corrupted by Obi Wan into leading him here I am sure of 
it." 

Palpatine's attention turned once again to the Nubian cruiser, sensing once again 
the two life forms gestating within her. "She is injured?" Again Anakin was silent, 
it was apparent that he had been the cause of her injury. "I have brought with me a 
medical capsule, she will be fine. I am sure that whatever the cause of her pain, 
it was due to Kenobi's meddling." 

Anakin nodded in consent. "She is aboard the cruiser with the droids." 

Palpatine ordered the soldiers he had brought with him to take the medical capsule 
and begin treating Padme right away. Using the Force however, he issued another 
subtle mental command to search the ship for any and all witnesses, including 
droids. Any potential record of this event on that craft would be destroyed for 
good. 

After the task had been performed and Amidala was safe, Palpatine's shuttle took 
off, his apprentice at his side. 


A short time later, after fleeing Coruscant aboard the Tantive IV along with Bail 
Organa, Yoda had asked that they travel to Mustafar, a dull throbbing pain in 
Yoda's head lingering from his battle with the Emperor had been erased violently by 
a sharp stab in his heart. Obi Wan had failed, but perhaps he could still be saved. 

When Yoda arrived on the planet, he fought hard to push back the agony of being 
unable to sense his comrade and friend. During his many years on the council, the 
death of every Jedi during that time affected him. He had always managed to move on 
past his grief and celebrate their return to the force, but on this day, the first 
Day of the Empire, there was no longer anyone else to celebrate with. NEver had he 
thought that he would be the last of the Jedi, not after training all of the 
children for hundreds of years. 

The children...all killed by the Chosen One, by Skywalker. 

Scouts from the ship's crew dutifully searched the area, at least hoping to find a 
body as Yoda guarded his feelings and attempted to regain his clarity. But he was 
shaken from his meditation in the conference room full of butchered confederacy 
leaders when one of the Scouts sent in a confirmation. 

"We found him." 

Indeed they had found Obi-Wan, or what was left of him. Technically he was still 
alive, though how he had managed to stay that way was a miracle in itself. Yoda 
rushed to the scene, Obi-Wan had tethered himself to the Force, only by 
surrendering to it completely had he managed to put himself into stasis. The only 
thing keeping him alive right now was the living force. He had surrendered himself 
to the will of the Force, and the will of the Force was not about to let him die 
just yet. 

But the Force could not repair the damage to his body. In an attempt to cover his 
face and chest from the lava his arms were now little better than burnt stumps, and 
his legs in similar shape having been unprotected at all. Yoda looked at Obi Wan, 
and was unsure of what to do. Every fiber in his being cried out to sever the link 
somehow and allow Obi Wan to die in peace, but the will of the Force was nothing to 
stand against. Bail Organa slowly approached Yoda from behind. 

"Master Yoda, is he?" 

"Live for now, Obi Wan does. However, beyond repair, his body his." 

Bail turned his head towards Yoda and then back to Obi Wan. "Then we must take him 
to Alderaan immediately." 

Yoda turned to the Senator. "A plan you have?" 

"Alderaan is home to the Galactic Polysapient Hospital, I am quite close to the 
most skilled physicians there. WE may not be able to restore his body, but I assure 
you his chances for survival will be far greater than if we remain here." 

And so they left, with Yoda using the Force to levitate Obi Wan, and maintain his 
link with the living force. 

"Many Jedi I could not save today. Be damned I will be, if I cannot save you."



Chapter Two:  Lies of the Shadow

Thousands gathered in the streets near what was to be the site of the Imperial 
Palace. During Palpatine's reign several influential senators favorable to the 
Chancellor had managed to piggyback legislation to accompany the security acts. 
That legislation authorized the rebuilding of the Palace of the Republic, and the 
construction had begun not too long before the Battle of Coruscant. The aerial 
battle between Republic and Separatist fighters had ravaged the building, making it 
unfit for work to continue. The building had to be demolished, and it was to be 
rebuilt as the Imperial Palace. In a sense, it represented the tearing town of the 
Old Republic, making way for the New Order that would lead the galaxy. 

The Emperor would be present to commemorate this occasion, but the real reason for 
the vast turnout was the anticipated appearance of Anakin Skywalker, hero of the 
Clone Wars and arguably the most famous person in the entire galaxy. Even the 
isolated worlds in the outer rim knew of his exploits, thanks of course to the 
renamed COMPNOR organization. In the wake of the slaughter at the Jedi Temple, 
COMPNOR had worked feverishly to seize control of every piece of information, and 
control every potential outlet for that information. What had been the brutal 
massacre of Jedi led by one of their own had now become a heroic counterattack 
against the Jedi Rebellion, instigated by mace Windu's assassination attempt. There 
were plenty across the galaxy, especially those who had known Jedi, who would not 
and could not accept that story as fact. But there were many more who had accepted 
the Imperial presentation, some eagerly and some begrudgingly. The fact that Anakin 
Skywalker had led the attack gave it legitimacy; Jedi did not turn against each 
other without reason. 

Upon returning to Coruscant, and securing Padme at the new Emperor Palpatine 
Medical Center, Anakin had made it his first order of business to annihilate the 
Jedi Temple. Construction droids and decay would not suffice for him and his master 
agreed. The Era of the Jedi ended in the eyes of the public when their temple was 
obliterated in a barrage of fire. Anakin Skywalker personally commanded the Clone 
Pilots as the LAAT gun ships unleashed their strength onto the now vacated 
building. In its place a second palace would be built, also befitting a Sith. From 
there Darth Vader would watch over the skyline of Imperial City, and once complete 
he would make it his own private fortress, with Padme and his children at his side. 

That had come as a complete surprise to him, discovering that Padme was pregnant 
with twins was entirely unexpected, although not as unexpected as the pregnancy 
itself, although afterwards he immediately cited his repressed Jedi upbringing for 
not educating him properly about birth control. 

Thanks to Palpatine's medical capsule Padme had been stabilized. The pregnancy 
however was drawing rapidly towards its end, sooner or later even the stabilizing 
equipment would be unable to delay the birth of the twins, when that happened the 
doctors would have to remove Padme from her sleep and the next step was still up in 
the air. As soon as she awoke she would be close to death, and her weakened state 
made anesthesia out of the question. Anakin was a Sith now, but although he was 
able to embrace pain he could not bear to see it inflicted on Padme, and he 
impressed his concerns on each and every doctor attending her personally. Needless 
to say the doctors would share her fate. 

Palpatine took the pulpit, the crowds were teeming and growing anxious but order 
was being maintained thanks to the white armored troopers standing guard all over 
the plaza. The Grand Army of the Republic, now the Imperial Armed Forces, had 
replaced the Jedi as the guardians of order and stability in the galaxy. To embody 
this, Palpatine had chosen a new icon to represent the government. He redesigned 
the Jedi symbol, removing two of the spokes of the Jedi Emblem, removing the spokes 
representing the ancient Bendu ideals of serenity and pacifism, but in the Empire 
there was no place for serenity, instead there was passion. Palpatine's rise to 
power had been characterized by passion, the fervor he could generate in the name 
of order, justice, and security was unmatched by any politician before him. There 
was no place for pacifism either, pacifism had allowed the Confederacy of 
Independent Systems to raise their forces quickly and caused the deaths of 
billions. 

Behind him stood the man the crowds had been so eager to see. In one of his few 
public appearances since defeating the Jedi Rebellion, Anakin Skywalker, known in 
secret to his master as Darth Vader, received a rousing ovation from the crowd. Not 
only did he have his fame, but an outpouring of support for the incapacitated 
Senator Amidala, nearly killed by a jealous Obi Wan Kenobi, had venerated him 
further among the masses. Where Palpatine was the voice of the Empire Anakin 
Skywalker had become its face, and the citizens would have it no other way. 

"Citizens of the Empire, let us take but a brief moment, to honor the sacrifices 
made by our armed forces. As we celebrate the end of the Clone Wars and as our 
forces return to the Core Worlds following the Outer Rim sieges, let us remember 
that upon their sacrifices we are able to build a bridge to the future that will 
take the Empire further than the Republic has ever been!" 

The crowed roared with its approval as Palpatine began reiterating a lot of the 
same rhetoric that had accompanied his career. Of the thousands of people in 
attendance, few of them were not straining their voices. One of them was Bail 
Organa, whose mind was occupied with events back home. 


On Alderaan, a team of accomplished surgeons worked feverishly to rebuild a fallen 
Jedi master. At least one of them who had examined Obi Wan prior to surgery thought 
it was joke and asked why he had been summoned to operate on a cadaver. But there 
was a spark of life within him, and it would be all they would have to work with. 

The limbs would be simple enough; cybernetic limbs had come a long way, ironically 
thanks in part due to advances in droid advancements made by the Techno Union and 
Trade Federation prior to the war. While Obi Wan would never again be as mobile as 
he was before he would have complete control of his new attachments. The damage to 
his internal organs and skin however was horrifying. His organs appeared charred as 
overcooked meat, their color consumed by the darkness of severe burns. His weak 
heart pumped slowly, and what blood that did flow was as oxygen starved as the void 
of space. His lungs were so fragile that they had largely turned to ash. But his 
brain still lived, and amazingly had suffered little damage; his face was 
recognizable through the collection of burns and gashes now accumulated. 

The doctors had agreed that the only way to save Obi Wan's life would be a very 
radical and extensive operation that would place nearly every vital function of Obi 
Wans body under mechanical control, and exchange nearly two thirds of his body for 
cybernetics. Such operations were considered grossly unethical in the medical 
community. But Bail Organa had stressed that Obi Wan had to survive at any cost, 
and at any price. When Yoda had been informed the Jedi Master was visibly upset. 
"The same science used, to create General Greivous, it was." He had said. 

Bail had solemnly bowed his head. "I wish there were another way Master, but 
Greivous was an abomination through his actions, not because he was a cyborg." Of 
course Bail knew there was nothing he could say that would convince Yoda that this 
was an entirely good idea. The reverance for life held by a 900 year old Jedi 
Master did not coexist easily with the artificial life of high technology. 

The operation had been in its final hours and there had been no serious 
complications, save for technicians struggling to program the central computer that 
would ultimately govern Obi Wan's vital functions. He would no longer eat, oxygen 
would be cycled through super medicating filters, his speech would have to come 
from a vocabulator and his voice would never again have that gentle comforting tone 
that had endeared him to many. 

There were a few improvements, optical imagery and audio-sensitive equipment 
suitable for the HUD of an elite clone trooper was integrated into his life support 
unit, essentially a suit of armor that protected him from the harsh reality of his 
condition. To soften the appearance, Organa's own tailors had begun crafting 
accessories made from bantha leather at the behest of the doctors, gloves that 
could be form fitted to resemble human hands, and robes that would soften the 
appearance of the mechanical visage. Only the main life support panel would be 
entirely visible, as well as the expressionless mask. A skull conforming helmet 
with the wide eyes and breathing regulator composing the face would now be Obi 
Wan's image. 

Yoda could not bear to watch the proceedings, electing instead to meditate in the 
Force in a lounge nearby. Despite his reservations about the operation he could 
feel Obi Wan's connection to the Force strengthen, and as his new organs were 
installed and the remainder of his body stabilized Yoda felt the tether of the 
Force drift away from Obi-Wan as it was no longer needed. But the momentary relief 
for his friend allowed Yoda's mind to fill with memories, many of them pleasant, 
many of them bitter. Ever since his defeat something inside of him had been changed 
and he knew this to be true. He could be of no help to his old friend, and he knew 
that he could not properly handle seeing Obi-Wan as a machine. 

As soon as this operation was over, Yoda would have to retreat. He would have to 
find sanctuary. As he pondered his exile a vision came before him in his mind, 
showing him a place of refuge. Yoda began picturing a solitary existence in this 
place, the swamp world of Dagobah, the isolation would allow him to clear his mind 
once again so that he would be able to thwart the Sith and bring light to the 
darkness. He had known this place for many years, and its location was a secret to 
all but him and a few departed comrades. But suddenly the vision changed, and a 
silent voice called out to him. The vision reshaped itself, the dense swamps and 
thick fog of the world was replaced with white sands and a pair of suns that 
illuminated the world while roasting its surface. On this world events had been set 
into motion years ago. And the voice continued to call out to Yoda, that there was 
much to be learned. The voice belonged to Qui Gon Jinn. 

Yoda opened his eyes, and made his decision. As soon as Obi-Wan was out of surgery 
and Bail Organa returned he would depart, and go into hiding on Tatooine. 


Within a small room, recently refurbished, stood two men. Both of them happened to 
be Dark Lords of the Sith, the only two in existence. Within the Emperor's chambers 
at 500 Imperia, Anakin and Palpatine were able to speak privately again as Vader 
and Sidious. For the first time since Anakin had made his decision and severed the 
hand of Mace Windu, he and his master could take time away from prying eyes, and 
discuss things as Sith. 

"You have gained a tremendous following as of late my apprentice." 

"Such things do not concern me Master." 

"So it would seem." 

"With your permission my lord, I wish to see the holocrons take from the temple" 

Vader had been aching to have access to those holocrons the minute he had been 
nominated to the Jedi Council, brief as his tenure there was. He made no effort to 
hide his desires now though. While Sidious was more than a slight bit irritated at 
his apprentice's obvious expectation to have his request granted, he was pleased 
that he still sought deference to his master. No longer was he hiding his desires 
either, he was accepting the ways of the Sith quicker than expected. 

"You have leave Lord Vader, I will have need for you again shortly." 

Vader bowed in respect and exited the office where he had made his fateful 
decision, once again becoming Anakin Skywalker as he left. He finally had the 
chance to search the holocrons, and what little remained of the Jedi archives, in 
order to discover the way to save his dying wife. Sidious however was not quite 
ready to resume the persona of Palpatine quite yet though. There was business that 
needed to be attended to while there was time to spare. He walked as a shadow to a 
secret elevator not unlike the one leading to his former sanctuary in the works, 
although this one led much deeper and had required a far greater effort in order to 
properly conceal. Down the turbolift he went, until it stopped some ten minutes and 
several hundred meters later to a bottom floor in the deepest levels of Coruscant, 
in the place where he had murdered Darth Plagueis, in the place where he had been 
raised. The dwelling of his youth now served as a vault for his darkest secrets, 
one more critical to the grand design than even the secret of his dual identity. 

He entered a sparse wide room of the small complex and gave his crooked smile. 
Before him, chained to a table and bleeding, lay a man in tattered brown and tan 
robes. The man, tried to spit a curse at Palpatine, but his dry mouth was unable to 
muster the words. 

"Master Dyas, defiant to the end. If only your friends above could see you now, but 
then again even i am surprised that you were able to outlive them all. Even your 
friend Dooku, although you and i both knew he wouldn't last much longer hmmm?" 

Sifo Dyas struggled against his bonds, trying to summon the Force, but each 
desperate attempt to reach out with his feelings and give into the force failed. 

"You can end all of this you know, if you reveal to me the knowledge I require." 

Sifo wheezed a dry hacking cough as he looked to his captor. Speaking with his 
eyes, giving him the only answer he was capable of. 

"A pity really," remarked Sidious, "I suppose then you should know that there is 
nobody left to save you now. As of but a few days ago the Jedi were wiped out, 
destroyed by the Clone Army that YOU ordered." 

At firs the did not, could not, believe what Sidious was saying was the truth. But 
in the years of his captivity he had learned that Sidious was a deceiver, but not a 
liar. Sidious used the truth as his weapon, and a powerful weapon truth was in the 
hands of the greatest manipulator in the galaxy. The grief in Sifo Dyas' heart was 
like a starship crashing into him. 

Many years ago, shortly after the funeral of Qui Gon Jinn, Sifo Dyas had sensed the 
coming of a great conflict. He knew that nothing would stop the greed of entities 
like the Trade Federation, and that one day War would be the only answer for the 
Republic. However there was no way the Jedi Council would listen to his actions, 
and there was no way that one man alone, even a Jedi Master, could raise an army of 
the size necessary to defend the Republic when the time came. A few thousand Jedi 
would be no chance for a nearly limitless supply of battle droids. 

He had traveled to Kamino, keeping his moves secret. He had placed the Order for 
the Clone Army in secret, using both the Force and his incredible guile to ensure 
the secrecy of the order. The Kaminoans had only requested a template for the clone 
and payment in advance. Beyond the order for an Army of Soldiers though, he had 
also placed a smaller order of his own accord, a clone of himself, which would be 
the demonstration as to the effectiveness of the process. Sifo Dyas though had 
another idea in mind for this clone, an idea that if successful would allow him to 
further delve into the mystery of the Sith behind the invasion of Naboo. 

For Sifo Dyas had a special talent with the Force. He could transfer his 
consciousness into a new vessel, leaving a comatose shell behind. He had practiced 
on several non-sentient creatures at great risk and in secret, and eventually he 
had practiced on sentients as well. His training occurred down in the lower area of 
Coruscant, known as "The Works". Until one day he was prepared for the test. His 
clone prepared by the Kaminoans and all traces of the encounter forgotten via a 
trick of the Force, he made the transfer into his new body. The mindless clone, 
sequestered away across the galaxy, lay in wait. Sifo Dyas released his luminous 
being from himself, and traveled the vast distance along currents of the Force, 
finally arriving into his new host. 

The experiment had worked. Sifo Dyas was now free to investigate the Sith at his 
discretion, should his life become in danger he could now escape to his secondary 
body on Coruscant, and return to the sanctuary of the Jedi Temple. 

But the Sith, the dark shadows behind the great plot had came for him sooner than 
expected, just as they came for Qui Gon on Naboo. When Sifo Dyas had first 
anticipated the assassin hunting him he had expected another being clad in the garb 
of a shadow, acting as silent killer. What he had encountered instead was his old 
friend, Count Dooku. They had battled, it was no contest, Dooku had him outclassed 
in every way. In the moment before his death, as Dooku gloated over him and raised 
his saber, Sifo Dyas had escaped through the Force, making his way safely to 
Coruscant. 

But when he returned to his body, a surprise lay in wait. A meancing being of 
smaller stature but greater power than Dooku waited for him at the abandoned 
complex far below Galactic city's surface. 

The being, who referred to himself as Sidious, utterly crushed Sifo Dyas. It was in 
a far different way though, instead of the lightsaber, Sidious had burned him badly 
with Force lightning, and then used the Force to break his bones. Sifo Dyas, giving 
in to his fear attempted to escape, but in his absence from Coruscant the shroud of 
the Dark side grew darker, and wider. No longer was he able to flee from his body. 

That was the day, no more than a few days after the Battle of Naboo, that he had 
been imprisoned. The Dark Lord Sidious had discovered his great power. Using Dooku 
as a proxy, he forced Sifo Dyas' hand into what amounted to be a masterful trap. 
One of his tortures he was forced to endure was an ancient Sith technique that 
worked only on Jedi, as Sidious literally dissolved the midiclorians in his 
bloodstream, a process that took days. But it worked; Sidious completely severed 
the Jedi's link to the Force. 


Sifo Dyas had been promised that he would have the Force returned to him, if he 
would reveal the secret of consciousness transference. And for almost ten years 
Sifo Dyas had gone without breaking, despite minimal sustenance and long periods of 
isolation in this underground dungeon. He knew in his heart that there was no worse 
torture than a Sith with the key to immortality. Sidious however, had refused to 
allow him to die, using knowledge stolen from his Master Darth Plagueis, Sidious 
had prolonged Sifo Dyas life along with his suffering. 

But now his own plans to save the Republic had backfired. The Empire of the Sith 
was built upon the rubble of the Jedi's Republic. There was nothing left for him 
now, and he wanted desperately to touch the Force again. Even the strongest tree 
eventually broke under the strongest wind. As he closed his eyes he nodded his 
head, and Sidious cackled. 

"Good, Good, I see you have finally come to your senses." 

And so Sifo Dyas, through a cracked whispering voice revealed to Sidious how he 
could use the force to travel between mortal shells. And in the end he was given 
what he was promised. The Force was returned to him, as he slowly joined with it. 
Sidious used the force to sever his spinal cord, and Sifo Dyas was finally dead for 
real. 

Eager to return to his work above as Emperor of the Galaxy, Sidious ascended to his 
chambers through the turbolift. His ultimate plans one step closer to fruition. Now 
that he had the knowledge he needed, it was time for his apprentice to have the 
knowledge he so desperately sought as well.



Chapter Three:  Machinations

Obi-Wan regained consciousness about 8 hours after the surgery, at Yoda's request 
the doctors, medical technicians, and other staff were to wait outside and let the 
two speak in private. For hours Yoda sat in quiet before finally seeing his former 
padawan begin to stir towards being awake. 

Yoda was the first thing Obi-Wan noticed, followed shortly by an odd sensation 
across his body. He felt no pain where pain should exist, and he found that he 
could not control his clockwork breathing. Upon instinct he shot up in bed, 
expecting to find the fires of Mustafar surrounding him. Upon recognizing Yoda, 
meditating peacefully in the corner of the room, he settled down. Only then did he 
begin to sense what he had become. 

The first thing that he immediately noticed was his breathing, simply controlling 
the pace of ones breath as a method of calming ones mind was a method so basic it 
didn't require use of the Force. Worse still, he felt a certain numb feeling in his 
extremities, they appeared to be there but Obi-Wan did not get the same feeling 
from his limbs he was accustomed to, as if they were no longer an extension of 
himself. When he finally spoke, he nearly went mute when he discovered that his 
voice was no longer his own. 

"Master Yoda I..." 

The once gentle tone of his voice had been replaced with the expressionless 
monotone sound more befitting a droid, accompanied by the sound of mechanical 
breathing, the realization slowly began to dawn on Obi-Wan. And in silent shock he 
noticed that his vision was different, as if he were looking through the lens of a 
holorecorder. He tore the gown from his body. There were no words he could come up 
with to describe his thoughts; the expressionless mask could not convey his 
reaction. 

"The only way this was to save you." came Yoda's voice as he hobbled over, wincing 
in pain from his own injuries sustained during the battle with Palpatine. 
"Reluctant I was to allow it." 

Obi-Wan looked up at Yoda, and the two remaining Jedi each began to sense what they 
had feared most. A Jedi allowed himself to be a conduit of the Force, through him 
the Force flowed and allowed the Jedi to serve the greater good of the universe. 
But the mighty river that once permeated Obi Wan had been reduced to a trickle. 
Obi-Wan could feel and control his limbs with the use of advanced bio-neuro 
technology, but the Force was empty within them. Within his chest his heart still 
beat, although several major arteries had been replaced with plastic tubules, the 
synthflesh which covered most of it even had artificial capillaries to give it a 
realistic feel and to help cover the mechanics within. 

"How is it I survived?" Kenobi asked. 

"For dead you were left, when contact you we couldn't, came looking for you we did. 
Followed your beacon. So close to death you were that the Sith abandoned you." 

Obi-Wan's head lowered, a gesture of exhaustion combined with exasperation. 

"Failed to defeat Palpatine I did, but saved you Senator Organa did." 

Bail Organa once again proved why he was the only politician other than Amidala 
that he had ever fully trusted. Obi Wan closed his eyes beneath his helmet, and 
slowly began recalling the details of the battle to Yoda. How he had snuck aboard 
Amidala's transport, how he had learned of Anakin's child within her. Then how he 
and Anakin had crossed blades, fighting amongst the corpses of the Separatist 
leaders. The high pitched battle pushed both men to their limits, and when it was 
clear that Anakin's limits were much further than his own Obi-Wan had decided to 
try and end the engagement as quickly as possible. Taking high ground on a slope 
looking down into a stream of lava Obi-Wan had appealed to Anakin's brashness, the 
same brashness he had tried to counsel out of the boy for years. The bait didn't 
take, and Anakin used the Force to end the fight decisively. Yoda could feel his 
composure waning, hadn't he warned against the boy being trained all of those years 
ago? The resounding defeat of the two remaining Jedi by the Sith, now made worse by 
the inevitable result of Padme's pregnancy, had affected Yoda's once unbreakable 
resolve. Perhaps if Obi-Wan had managed to defeat Anakin, or if they had managed to 
save Padme themselves and spare her children from the Sith, things would be 
different. There could have been a light in the darkness that would have allowed 
Yoda to keep from giving up hope. 

"Master Yoda, what troubles you?" 

Even in his reduced state Obi-Wan was apparently still adept at determining 
feelings in those who hid them. Yoda fought to lie, he wanted to lie, and Obi Wan 
had been through enough already without needing to hear that his former mentor had 
given into despair. "Troubled I am not, so much as undecided I am, on what to do 
next. But into exile, I must go soon. For the good of the Jedi, to prepare, and to 
allow the Force to guide me." 

"Will I be going with you?" Obi-Wan asked, and even if he were capable, Yoda 
already knew what his answer must be. 

"Remain on Alderaan until complete your recovery is. Decide your own path from 
there, guided by the Force. Leave now, I must." 

Yoda turned around; the sound of his walking stick the only sound left in the room, 
as he paused in the doorway for a second Yoda stopped, and said "May the Force be 
with you Obi Wan." 

"May the Force be with you master" came the weak reply, Obi Wan raised a mechanical 
hand and clenched it into a fist, squeezing it tightly and wondering if Anakin had 
felt the same way upon receiving his. It was a maddening thing, to have a hand that 
could touch but could not feel, a sentiment that echoed Obi-Wan's feel of the Force 
as well. 



"Master Skywalker...please! There is nothing.... we can do at this point! If we 
keep her in stasis.....then the children will die!" 

Anakin's outstretched hand rose in the air and his fist slowly clenched, if things 
did not start to go his way soon then the doctor currently grasping at his throat 
and hovering a meter off of the ground would pay for his failure. Then Anakin would 
find someone that could save Padme. Anakin was bent on squeezing the life out of 
his target, when the deep shadowy presence oh his master drew closer, normally 
Anakin would have sensed him sooner, but the power of his emotions had blinded him. 

"You can put the good doctor down Anakin, I have the knowledge you require to save 
your beloved wife." 

In the time since the end of the clone wars had passed, the public had become 
gradually aware of the connection between Anakin and Amidala, and reports had begun 
circulating that it was Padme herself that convinced Skywalker to abandon the Jedi 
Order and remain loyal to the government. Other reports suggested that Palpatine 
himself introduced them. Several widely discredited fringe reporters had written of 
their secret wedding on Naboo shortly after the battle of Geonosis, but this went 
ignored largely because most believed that such a thing could be kept secret. 

Anakin released his grip, letting the doctor drop to the floor in a heap. Two 
others pulled him away as both the Emperor and his servant gave them a knowing 
glance that clearly indicated this incident was not to be spoken of. 

"Lord Vader," The Emperor was confident they were in private, and he could address 
his apprentice using his true title. "The time has come it would seem." 

Anakin lowered his head, gritting his teeth. "All signs indicate that the children 
are due, but there is still no change in her condition. I will not let her die, not 
even for the unborn children." 

Palpatine's gaze narrowed, Anger was not the only thing that gave power to a Sith, 
there was also passion, and if anyone tried to do anything that would injure Padme, 
Anakin would kill them. Even Palpatine himself couldn't do anything about it. 
Although Sidious was still confident he could best his apprentice in an even match 
there was no way he could overcome the rage and the passion of an enraged Anakin 
Skywalker. Even then if he could manage to win the fight his long-term plans would 
be ruined, he needed Anakin, he needed Anakin's children. 

"It would please you to know then, that I have the knowledge of Plagueis. We can 
save her." 

Anakin's eyes widened, and for but a split second the stone cold composure he had 
maintained since Mustafar wavered. "But how? You said that the power was lost!" 

"What once was lost can be found my apprentice." 

Palpatine turned towards the medical capsule and moved his hands toward the control 
for the stasis, Anakin immediately reached for his lightsaber. 

"I assure you, she will be fine. You will have to trust me, I have foreseen that 
your children will play a great role in the Empire Lord Vader, but they will need 
their mother and their father equally, in order to realize their full potentials." 
Vader removed his hand from the lightsaber, watching intently as his master 
deactivated the medical capsule, and as Sidious placed his hands on her, one over 
her heart and one onto her forehead. 



"The greatest secret to obtain power is through strength. What is the importance of 
strength to the Sith?" Plagueis had asked many years ago, in the chamber deep 
within Coruscant. 

"Through strength I gain victory." The young man had said. 

"Recited like a true student, but to find the secrets of power itself you must look 
beyond our Code, and into the act of power itself. Tell me Lord Sidious, when using 
the Force in battle, what is your goal?" 

"To defeat my opponent." The young man had said. That had been an incorrect answer, 
and he had been punished appropriately with a burst of Force lightning. 

"There are times when I begin to wonder why I took you on as my apprentice. Think 
for a moment before bothering me with your nonsense! You answer as a Jedi would. 
You see, when a Sith uses the force, for whatever purpose, he uses it to dominate 
and control his surroundings. Likewise, when using the force in conflict, you do 
not use the force to simply obtain victory. True victory lies within crushing your 
opponent, making him unable to fight back, or fight again for that mater. You have 
broken your opponent. Finish reciting the code from where you left off." 

As the young Darth Sidious rose to his feet he stood as proudly as he good, 
unwilling to show weakness. 

"Through victory my chains are broken, the Force shall set me free." 



That had been many years ago, and it was the day when the man who would one day be 
Emperor learned what it meant to have Power. Power was not simply strength but it 
was also control. Through the Force, a Sith Lord dominated those lesser than him. 
This applied as much to the internal functions of the body as well as anywhere 
else. Plagueis had demonstrated Sidious how one could manipulate the life energies 
of a person, how one could impose the will to live on someone where none existed. 
Plagueis had pursued that knowledge his entire life as a Sith master thinking that 
it would be the key to immortality that had eluded the Sith since the rule of two 
had been invented. 

Where Plagueis had failed though, Sidious had vowed to succeed. Plagueis had made 
one key mistake, while his ability could be used to manipulate life and increase 
the life expectancy of a Sith beyond his normal years, it did nothing to protect 
himself. One night, as Plagueis slept, his apprentice had decided that the time had 
come to ascend to his true place in the galaxy; Plagueis required an extensively 
meditative state for his power to work. So deep into a trance was he, that he 
didn't even react when Sidious' lightsaber carved neatly through his skull and into 
his chest. 

It wouldn't be long after that the new Dark Lord of the Sith traveled to Naboo, 
murdering a minor nobleman with no family ties and taking his position and social 
status to become a member of the Republican senate. When he was not occupied with 
Senatorial functions he began putting his grand plans into motion, carefully 
constructed based off of his lessons, the most ambitious undertaking of the Sith in 
over a thousand years. Carefully, he spirited away a Zabrak child from the Jedi 
Nursery, one of two Zabrak Children with the surname Koth, though they came from 
different worlds. But there would be enough time to reflect later. 

Channeling the Force into Amidala's body, Palpatine could sense the internal decay. 
There was nothing physically wrong with her, but her will to live had been broken. 
It was rather disappointing actually, for all the strength she had held as Queen of 
Naboo she let her will be broken over something such as this? It was rather 
disappointing, and if it weren't for his apprentice, and the twins inside of her, 
he would have let her die. As the Force saturated her Sidious began to impose his 
will onto her, the will of a Sith to live was strong, that will could be imposed on 
lesser beings. 

Within a few minutes Padme's life signs began to strengthen, and Sidious released 
his hold over her. There was no telling what sort of side effects would occur as a 
result, but she would live. Anakin would have his family, and Palpatine's Empire 
would be stronger for it one day. 



"Absolutely not." Bel Iblis yelled as he slammed his fist onto the table. 
"Furthermore, what you propose is sedition and if it wasn't for the fact that I 
have the greatest respect for Senator Organa I would inform the Imperial Guards 
about you at once!" 

"Are you aware of what is taking place here Garm? That tyrant has wiped out the 
freedoms we have enjoyed for thosuands of years on a whim! Before long he will have 
absolute power and not even the senate will be able to intervene!" 

"What I am aware of Mon Mothma, is that you have asked me to join this ridiculous 
Alliance of yours. An Alliance that you personally could contribute nothing to, you 
would have me bring a large number of Corellian troops, Corellian ships, and 
Corellian industry over to your cause, which you would of course, direct in 
security while people such as myself fought the battles for you. But what does 
Chandrila do in all of this, the last I heard your world was loyal." 

"We're too close to the core to be anything else! The Imperial reprisal would 
be..." 

"Quiet you haughty contemptuous bitch. Whatever reservations Corellia might have 
about the Empire, they are outweighed by our respect for it. General Skywalker is 
quite beloved in our system, no rebellion would get off the ground. Plus, he's the 
last of the loyal Jedi, and his wife is one of the most peace-loving members of the 
Senate. So you see, your goal failed the moment you walked into my office." 

Mon Mothma was about to raise her voice in protest, but Bail Organa stopped her. 

"I think it's best that we leave, good day Senator Bel Iblis, please let me know if 
there is anything I can do to make up for your lost time." 

Senators Organa and Mothma exited, escorted by the Alderaanian Guards that now 
accompanied him since the declaration of the Empire. Mon Mothma was irritated to 
the point that she had a constant scowl on her face. 

"That rotten sand panther is a fool if he thinks things are going to get any 
better. Does he really believe that even General Skywalker and Amidala by 
themselves can keep Palpatine in check?" 

Bail placed a firm hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "You need to relax, and get a 
grip on yourself. General Bel Iblis would have brought a lot of military might to 
our cause but insulting him and aggrivating him will bring him down on our heads as 
well. We will just have to remain patient and hope that our talks with the Bothans 
continue to go well." 

Mon Mothma's scowl mellowed out and she regained a plain face but picked up a hint 
of malice in her voice. "There is another alternative to the Corellians." 

Bail stopped and made a hand signal to his guards, signaling to them that they 
needed a moment of privacy. After a couple of moments a safe spot nearby was found. 
The guards escorted the two senators into a side conference room of the Senate 
building known to the staunch Republicans as a sort of haven from the the prying 
ears of their supposed colleagues. 

"Just what exactly are you talking about?" Bail asked. 

"Prior to the surrender of the Confederacy Nute Gunray was forced by General 
Skywalker to deactivate all of the battle droids before the ambush attempt on 
Skywalker's life by the Separatists leaders and the supposed Jedi Rebellion. I have 
a source on a senatorial committee that is keeping a track of all the battle droids 
being picked up and collected, and locations of military equipment that haven't 
been taken care of yet." 

Bail bit his tongue, careful not to lash out inappropriately. Mon Mothma continued 
to speak. 

"WIth the Bothans on board we can invent new control programs, recalibrate every 
one of those droids, we might even be able to get a few ships and tuck them away." 

"You make it sound as if we were going to war." 

"Don't you see? We've been at war ever since Geonosis, and this is only a temporary 
stop. Eventually Palpatine will make his final grab for power and we must all be 
united. Isn't that why you wanted to help found an Alliance?" 

"I want to oppose the Emperor that much is true, but what you are talking about is 
resurrecting the droid army, the same droid army that butchered billions." 

"If you haven't got the stomach for sedition Bail then I suggest you follow Senator 
Bel Iblis' lead and play the role of lapdog. I for one am not about to let the 
Republic die so easily and I will do what it takes. There are a host of former 
Separatists out there, some of them good people caught on the wrong side because of 
what planet they were from and nothing else. An army already exists out there and I 
plan to point it right back at the Empire. It would be a fitting twist of irony if 
the military the Empire defeated rose up to restore the Republic wouldn't you 
say?" 

"It would be a stronger taste of irony Senator, if one were to become the same 
dictator they were trying to oppose." 

The two friends, on the verge of ending their relationship, stared at each other in 
silence. No more than a couple of minutes later they left, taking their separate 
ways.


Thousands gathered in the streets near what was to be the site of the Imperial 
Palace. During Palpatine's reign several influential senators favorable to the 
Chancellor had managed to piggyback legislation to accompany the security acts. 
That legislation authorized the rebuilding of the Palace of the Republic, and the 
construction had begun not too long before the Battle of Coruscant. The aerial 
battle between Republic and Separatist fighters had ravaged the building, making it 
unfit for work to continue. The building had to be demolished, and it was to be 
rebuilt as the Imperial Palace. In a sense, it represented the tearing town of the 
Old Republic, making way for the New Order that would lead the galaxy. 

The Emperor would be present to commemorate this occasion, but the real reason for 
the vast turnout was the anticipated appearance of Anakin Skywalker, hero of the 
Clone Wars and arguably the most famous person in the entire galaxy. Even the 
isolated worlds in the outer rim knew of his exploits, thanks of course to the 
renamed COMPNOR organization. In the wake of the slaughter at the Jedi Temple, 
COMPNOR had worked feverishly to seize control of every piece of information, and 
control every potential outlet for that information. What had been the brutal 
massacre of Jedi led by one of their own had now become a heroic counterattack 
against the Jedi Rebellion, instigated by mace Windu's assassination attempt. There 
were plenty across the galaxy, especially those who had known Jedi, who would not 
and could not accept that story as fact. But there were many more who had accepted 
the Imperial presentation, some eagerly and some begrudgingly. The fact that Anakin 
Skywalker had led the attack gave it legitimacy; Jedi did not turn against each 
other without reason. 

Upon returning to Coruscant, and securing Padme at the new Emperor Palpatine 
Medical Center, Anakin had made it his first order of business to annihilate the 
Jedi Temple. Construction droids and decay would not suffice for him and his master 
agreed. The Era of the Jedi ended in the eyes of the public when their temple was 
obliterated in a barrage of fire. Anakin Skywalker personally commanded the Clone 
Pilots as the LAAT gun ships unleashed their strength onto the now vacated 
building. In its place a second palace would be built, also befitting a Sith. From 
there Darth Vader would watch over the skyline of Imperial City, and once complete 
he would make it his own private fortress, with Padme and his children at his side. 

That had come as a complete surprise to him, discovering that Padme was pregnant 
with twins was entirely unexpected, although not as unexpected as the pregnancy 
itself, although afterwards he immediately cited his repressed Jedi upbringing for 
not educating him properly about birth control. 

Thanks to Palpatine's medical capsule Padme had been stabilized. The pregnancy 
however was drawing rapidly towards its end, sooner or later even the stabilizing 
equipment would be unable to delay the birth of the twins, when that happened the 
doctors would have to remove Padme from her sleep and the next step was still up in 
the air. As soon as she awoke she would be close to death, and her weakened state 
made anesthesia out of the question. Anakin was a Sith now, but although he was 
able to embrace pain he could not bear to see it inflicted on Padme, and he 
impressed his concerns on each and every doctor attending her personally. Needless 
to say the doctors would share her fate. 

Palpatine took the pulpit, the crowds were teeming and growing anxious but order 
was being maintained thanks to the white armored troopers standing guard all over 
the plaza. The Grand Army of the Republic, now the Imperial Armed Forces, had 
replaced the Jedi as the guardians of order and stability in the galaxy. To embody 
this, Palpatine had chosen a new icon to represent the government. He redesigned 
the Jedi symbol, removing two of the spokes of the Jedi Emblem, removing the spokes 
representing the ancient Bendu ideals of serenity and pacifism, but in the Empire 
there was no place for serenity, instead there was passion. Palpatine's rise to 
power had been characterized by passion, the fervor he could generate in the name 
of order, justice, and security was unmatched by any politician before him. There 
was no place for pacifism either, pacifism had allowed the Confederacy of 
Independent Systems to raise their forces quickly and caused the deaths of 
billions. 

Behind him stood the man the crowds had been so eager to see. In one of his few 
public appearances since defeating the Jedi Rebellion, Anakin Skywalker, known in 
secret to his master as Darth Vader, received a rousing ovation from the crowd. Not 
only did he have his fame, but an outpouring of support for the incapacitated 
Senator Amidala, nearly killed by a jealous Obi Wan Kenobi, had venerated him 
further among the masses. Where Palpatine was the voice of the Empire Anakin 
Skywalker had become its face, and the citizens would have it no other way. 

"Citizens of the Empire, let us take but a brief moment, to honor the sacrifices 
made by our armed forces. As we celebrate the end of the Clone Wars and as our 
forces return to the Core Worlds following the Outer Rim sieges, let us remember 
that upon their sacrifices we are able to build a bridge to the future that will 
take the Empire further than the Republic has ever been!" 

The crowed roared with its approval as Palpatine began reiterating a lot of the 
same rhetoric that had accompanied his career. Of the thousands of people in 
attendance, few of them were not straining their voices. One of them was Bail 
Organa, whose mind was occupied with events back home. 


On Alderaan, a team of accomplished surgeons worked feverishly to rebuild a fallen 
Jedi master. At least one of them who had examined Obi Wan prior to surgery thought 
it was joke and asked why he had been summoned to operate on a cadaver. But there 
was a spark of life within him, and it would be all they would have to work with. 

The limbs would be simple enough; cybernetic limbs had come a long way, ironically 
thanks in part due to advances in droid advancements made by the Techno Union and 
Trade Federation prior to the war. While Obi Wan would never again be as mobile as 
he was before he would have complete control of his new attachments. The damage to 
his internal organs and skin however was horrifying. His organs appeared charred as 
overcooked meat, their color consumed by the darkness of severe burns. His weak 
heart pumped slowly, and what blood that did flow was as oxygen starved as the void 
of space. His lungs were so fragile that they had largely turned to ash. But his 
brain still lived, and amazingly had suffered little damage; his face was 
recognizable through the collection of burns and gashes now accumulated. 

The doctors had agreed that the only way to save Obi Wan's life would be a very 
radical and extensive operation that would place nearly every vital function of Obi 
Wans body under mechanical control, and exchange nearly two thirds of his body for 
cybernetics. Such operations were considered grossly unethical in the medical 
community. But Bail Organa had stressed that Obi Wan had to survive at any cost, 
and at any price. When Yoda had been informed the Jedi Master was visibly upset. 
"The same science used, to create General Greivous, it was." He had said. 

Bail had solemnly bowed his head. "I wish there were another way Master, but 
Greivous was an abomination through his actions, not because he was a cyborg." Of 
course Bail knew there was nothing he could say that would convince Yoda that this 
was an entirely good idea. The reverance for life held by a 900 year old Jedi 
Master did not coexist easily with the artificial life of high technology. 

The operation had been in its final hours and there had been no serious 
complications, save for technicians struggling to program the central computer that 
would ultimately govern Obi Wan's vital functions. He would no longer eat, oxygen 
would be cycled through super medicating filters, his speech would have to come 
from a vocabulator and his voice would never again have that gentle comforting tone 
that had endeared him to many. 

There were a few improvements, optical imagery and audio-sensitive equipment 
suitable for the HUD of an elite clone trooper was integrated into his life support 
unit, essentially a suit of armor that protected him from the harsh reality of his 
condition. To soften the appearance, Organa's own tailors had begun crafting 
accessories made from bantha leather at the behest of the doctors, gloves that 
could be form fitted to resemble human hands, and robes that would soften the 
appearance of the mechanical visage. Only the main life support panel would be 
entirely visible, as well as the expressionless mask. A skull conforming helmet 
with the wide eyes and breathing regulator composing the face would now be Obi 
Wan's image. 

Yoda could not bear to watch the proceedings, electing instead to meditate in the 
Force in a lounge nearby. Despite his reservations about the operation he could 
feel Obi Wan's connection to the Force strengthen, and as his new organs were 
installed and the remainder of his body stabilized Yoda felt the tether of the 
Force drift away from Obi-Wan as it was no longer needed. But the momentary relief 
for his friend allowed Yoda's mind to fill with memories, many of them pleasant, 
many of them bitter. Ever since his defeat something inside of him had been changed 
and he knew this to be true. He could be of no help to his old friend, and he knew 
that he could not properly handle seeing Obi-Wan as a machine. 

As soon as this operation was over, Yoda would have to retreat. He would have to 
find sanctuary. As he pondered his exile a vision came before him in his mind, 
showing him a place of refuge. Yoda began picturing a solitary existence in this 
place, the swamp world of Dagobah, the isolation would allow him to clear his mind 
once again so that he would be able to thwart the Sith and bring light to the 
darkness. He had known this place for many years, and its location was a secret to 
all but him and a few departed comrades. But suddenly the vision changed, and a 
silent voice called out to him. The vision reshaped itself, the dense swamps and 
thick fog of the world was replaced with white sands and a pair of suns that 
illuminated the world while roasting its surface. On this world events had been set 
into motion years ago. And the voice continued to call out to Yoda, that there was 
much to be learned. The voice belonged to Qui Gon Jinn. 

Yoda opened his eyes, and made his decision. As soon as Obi-Wan was out of surgery 
and Bail Organa returned he would depart, and go into hiding on Tatooine. 


Within a small room, recently refurbished, stood two men. Both of them happened to 
be Dark Lords of the Sith, the only two in existence. Within the Emperor's chambers 
at 500 Imperia, Anakin and Palpatine were able to speak privately again as Vader 
and Sidious. For the first time since Anakin had made his decision and severed the 
hand of Mace Windu, he and his master could take time away from prying eyes, and 
discuss things as Sith. 

"You have gained a tremendous following as of late my apprentice." 

"Such things do not concern me Master." 

"So it would seem." 

"With your permission my lord, I wish to see the holocrons take from the temple" 

Vader had been aching to have access to those holocrons the minute he had been 
nominated to the Jedi Council, brief as his tenure there was. He made no effort to 
hide his desires now though. While Sidious was more than a slight bit irritated at 
his apprentice's obvious expectation to have his request granted, he was pleased 
that he still sought deference to his master. No longer was he hiding his desires 
either, he was accepting the ways of the Sith quicker than expected. 

"You have leave Lord Vader, I will have need for you again shortly." 

Vader bowed in respect and exited the office where he had made his fateful 
decision, once again becoming Anakin Skywalker as he left. He finally had the 
chance to search the holocrons, and what little remained of the Jedi archives, in 
order to discover the way to save his dying wife. Sidious however was not quite 
ready to resume the persona of Palpatine quite yet though. There was business that 
needed to be attended to while there was time to spare. He walked as a shadow to a 
secret elevator not unlike the one leading to his former sanctuary in the works, 
although this one led much deeper and had required a far greater effort in order to 
properly conceal. Down the turbolift he went, until it stopped some ten minutes and 
several hundred meters later to a bottom floor in the deepest levels of Coruscant, 
in the place where he had murdered Darth Plagueis, in the place where he had been 
raised. The dwelling of his youth now served as a vault for his darkest secrets, 
one more critical to the grand design than even the secret of his dual identity. 

He entered a sparse wide room of the small complex and gave his crooked smile. 
Before him, chained to a table and bleeding, lay a man in tattered brown and tan 
robes. The man, tried to spit a curse at Palpatine, but his dry mouth was unable to 
muster the words. 

"Master Dyas, defiant to the end. If only your friends above could see you now, but 
then again even i am surprised that you were able to outlive them all. Even your 
friend Dooku, although you and i both knew he wouldn't last much longer hmmm?" 

Sifo Dyas struggled against his bonds, trying to summon the Force, but each 
desperate attempt to reach out with his feelings and give into the force failed. 

"You can end all of this you know, if you reveal to me the knowledge I require." 

Sifo wheezed a dry hacking cough as he looked to his captor. Speaking with his 
eyes, giving him the only answer he was capable of. 

"A pity really," remarked Sidious, "I suppose then you should know that there is 
nobody left to save you now. As of but a few days ago the Jedi were wiped out, 
destroyed by the Clone Army that YOU ordered." 

At firs the did not, could not, believe what Sidious was saying was the truth. But 
in the years of his captivity he had learned that Sidious was a deceiver, but not a 
liar. Sidious used the truth as his weapon, and a powerful weapon truth was in the 
hands of the greatest manipulator in the galaxy. The grief in Sifo Dyas' heart was 
like a starship crashing into him. 

Many years ago, shortly after the funeral of Qui Gon Jinn, Sifo Dyas had sensed the 
coming of a great conflict. He knew that nothing would stop the greed of entities 
like the Trade Federation, and that one day War would be the only answer for the 
Republic. However there was no way the Jedi Council would listen to his actions, 
and there was no way that one man alone, even a Jedi Master, could raise an army of 
the size necessary to defend the Republic when the time came. A few thousand Jedi 
would be no chance for a nearly limitless supply of battle droids. 

He had traveled to Kamino, keeping his moves secret. He had placed the Order for 
the Clone Army in secret, using both the Force and his incredible guile to ensure 
the secrecy of the order. The Kaminoans had only requested a template for the clone 
and payment in advance. Beyond the order for an Army of Soldiers though, he had 
also placed a smaller order of his own accord, a clone of himself, which would be 
the demonstration as to the effectiveness of the process. Sifo Dyas though had 
another idea in mind for this clone, an idea that if successful would allow him to 
further delve into the mystery of the Sith behind the invasion of Naboo. 

For Sifo Dyas had a special talent with the Force. He could transfer his 
consciousness into a new vessel, leaving a comatose shell behind. He had practiced 
on several non-sentient creatures at great risk and in secret, and eventually he 
had practiced on sentients as well. His training occurred down in the lower area of 
Coruscant, known as "The Works". Until one day he was prepared for the test. His 
clone prepared by the Kaminoans and all traces of the encounter forgotten via a 
trick of the Force, he made the transfer into his new body. The mindless clone, 
sequestered away across the galaxy, lay in wait. Sifo Dyas released his luminous 
being from himself, and traveled the vast distance along currents of the Force, 
finally arriving into his new host. 

The experiment had worked. Sifo Dyas was now free to investigate the Sith at his 
discretion, should his life become in danger he could now escape to his secondary 
body on Coruscant, and return to the sanctuary of the Jedi Temple. 

But the Sith, the dark shadows behind the great plot had came for him sooner than 
expected, just as they came for Qui Gon on Naboo. When Sifo Dyas had first 
anticipated the assassin hunting him he had expected another being clad in the garb 
of a shadow, acting as silent killer. What he had encountered instead was his old 
friend, Count Dooku. They had battled, it was no contest, Dooku had him outclassed 
in every way. In the moment before his death, as Dooku gloated over him and raised 
his saber, Sifo Dyas had escaped through the Force, making his way safely to 
Coruscant. 

But when he returned to his body, a surprise lay in wait. A meancing being of 
smaller stature but greater power than Dooku waited for him at the abandoned 
complex far below Galactic city's surface. 

The being, who referred to himself as Sidious, utterly crushed Sifo Dyas. It was in 
a far different way though, instead of the lightsaber, Sidious had burned him badly 
with Force lightning, and then used the Force to break his bones. Sifo Dyas, giving 
in to his fear attempted to escape, but in his absence from Coruscant the shroud of 
the Dark side grew darker, and wider. No longer was he able to flee from his body. 

That was the day, no more than a few days after the Battle of Naboo, that he had 
been imprisoned. The Dark Lord Sidious had discovered his great power. Using Dooku 
as a proxy, he forced Sifo Dyas' hand into what amounted to be a masterful trap. 
One of his tortures he was forced to endure was an ancient Sith technique that 
worked only on Jedi, as Sidious literally dissolved the midiclorians in his 
bloodstream, a process that took days. But it worked; Sidious completely severed 
the Jedi's link to the Force. 


Sifo Dyas had been promised that he would have the Force returned to him, if he 
would reveal the secret of consciousness transference. And for almost ten years 
Sifo Dyas had gone without breaking, despite minimal sustenance and long periods of 
isolation in this underground dungeon. He knew in his heart that there was no worse 
torture than a Sith with the key to immortality. Sidious however, had refused to 
allow him to die, using knowledge stolen from his Master Darth Plagueis, Sidious 
had prolonged Sifo Dyas life along with his suffering. 

But now his own plans to save the Republic had backfired. The Empire of the Sith 
was built upon the rubble of the Jedi's Republic. There was nothing left for him 
now, and he wanted desperately to touch the Force again. Even the strongest tree 
eventually broke under the strongest wind. As he closed his eyes he nodded his 
head, and Sidious cackled. 

"Good, Good, I see you have finally come to your senses." 

And so Sifo Dyas, through a cracked whispering voice revealed to Sidious how he 
could use the force to travel between mortal shells. And in the end he was given 
what he was promised. The Force was returned to him, as he slowly joined with it. 
Sidious used the force to sever his spinal cord, and Sifo Dyas was finally dead for 
real. 

Eager to return to his work above as Emperor of the Galaxy, Sidious ascended to his 
chambers through the turbolift. His ultimate plans one step closer to fruition. Now 
that he had the knowledge he needed, it was time for his apprentice to have the 
knowledge he so desperately sought as well.



Chapter 4:  New Paths Unfold

"Leia is an excellent name, but what makes you so sure our child is a girl?" 

Padme rolled onto her side and looked over at her husband, pulling the comforter 
over her chest and smiling. "Call it woman's intuition." 

"Is that anything like the Force?" Anakin had said, grinning back and running his 
hand through her hair. 

"Mmm hmmm, and you don't need to have Jedi powers either, you just have to be a 
female." 

"I can't say I qualify there, maybe If I used the Force I could..." 

"No, don't, I don't want to know until the day arrives." 

Anakin nodded, he shared her sentiments. "If it's a boy, I think we should call him 
Luke." 

Padme's face contorted slightly in a puzzled expression. "Luke? It sounds nice but 
where does it come from?" 

"In ancient Jedi history, there are tales of a powerful Knight called Lucas. It was 
said that Lucas was so powerful with the Force he could create great beauty with 
the Force. The legend has it that late in his life his creations began to lose 
their luster, and people had begun wondering if whether or not his powers were 
beginning to fail him. But before he passed on he managed one final act, something 
that reshaped the galaxy into something better and brighter. If I have a son, I 
would hope that naming him after the legend would help guide him down an honorable 
path." 

Padme had just smiled, kissed him tenderly and whispered into his ear. "I think 
it's a wonderful name." 


The memory was clear, one of few happy moments he allowed himself to cling to. Gone 
were the days of his boyhood in Mos Espa and the Jedi Temple, gone were the days of 
learning and training in the Jedi Temple, gone even were the times he and Obi-Wan 
spent together on those long hyperspace journeys between assignments. Sure he 
recalled names, information, and outcomes of events but the feelings attached to 
those were gone forever. The boy had become a man, and the man had become a Sith. 

Padme was resting again, she had finally fallen asleep on her own after seventeen 
hours of painful excruciating childbirth, not a galactic record by any means but 
considering the ordeal of the past couple of days it was simply one final stretch 
of torment. Anakin had been there, staying by her side with his hand clasped over 
hers. He could feel her pain through the force, and he wanted to do anything he 
could. But his master had ordered him to do nothing, for it may endanger the lives 
of his children. Palpatine had always been a close mentor, but whatever interest he 
had in the Skywalker bloodline Anakin vowed to himself he would discern it. 

Luke and Leia were resting comfortably as well. Luke named after a probably 
fictional character Anakin had first heard of when he was a youngling, and Leia 
from the Great-Grandmother of Padme Amidala who had been one of Naboo's most 
cherished ambassadors of years past and the inspiration for Padme to enter 
politics. The two children were taken to the newly christened Amidala Maternity 
Center, under red robed Imperial Guard. Padme would soon follow when the doctors 
certified her clear to be admitted as a new mother under reduced care at the 
Maternity Center. 

Anakin would not get to stay however, his master already had a task for him to 
accomplish that would require his natural leadership and knowledge of war. The 
Separatist forces, reeling from utter defeat with no place to go and minimal droids 
still functioning began massing at Kessel, a key world under control of the 
Hoersch-Kessel Drive Corporation that had supplied the Trade Federation, and later 
the entire Confederacy of Independent Systems, with many of its power battleships, 
including the massive Droid Control Ships. The Corporate leadership of former Trade 
Federation pawns such as Baktoid Armor Workshops had fled immediately to the only 
remaining CIS stronghold. Hoersch-Kessel had achieved its namesake from its strong 
presence in the Kessel System. Including several key shipyards currently producing 
some of the most devastating ships the Confederates could field. Those assets, 
combined with hundreds of thousands of combat and pilot droids owned by Baktoid 
itself that were untouched by Nute Gunray's master control program had allowed the 
holdouts to create the most powerfully fortified system in known space. 

Creating their sanctuary had sealed the fate of those in charge, but neither 
company had much to lose considering the EMpire would just have well seized 
everything and executed the leadership anyway. There was no attempt to mediate, 
Palpatine would not offer support to any attempts to negotiate and his powerful 
following on Coruscant backed him. Publicly he called on General Skywalker, hero 
the Republic, to eradicate these last holdouts and in doing so granted him the 
position of Supreme Military Commander of all Imperial forces. Thus making him only 
answerable to the Emperor. In secret, Darth Sidious had called upon Anakin to show 
no mercy, and to crush the resistance utterly so that the CIS would not rise again. 

Unlike many of his battles fighting for the Republic, he would not go into battle 
with comparable or undermanned forces. In the age of the Empire, Palpatine had 
thought it best to respond to any situation with overwhelming and brute force. 
Anakin's new flagship would be the ISS Imperator. Which was the first of two 
hundred new starships built, with hundreds more in production. The Imperator-Class 
Star Destroyer was one of many new weapons currently in development. The other one 
that had Anakin intrigued was one that his master had guaranteed would be of 
"world-shattering proportions." 

Anakin allowed himself one quick visit to the twins, and as he looked upon them he 
realized he now had two more lives to protect as well as Padme's, and as well as 
his legacy. Until he could get Palpatine to reveal more of his secrets, then the 
only thing he could do was obey his master, and destroy all of his enemies. 



Yoda's arrival on Tatooine had gone unheralded, swathed in robes to disguise 
himself he had spent only a short time in Anchorhead before happening upon a pair 
of Jawas, who immediately were quite friend to the stranger as he was of their 
size. With a little careful wording and a slight bit of motivation from the Force, 
the two Jawas decided they would allow Yoda to stay with them for a while, until it 
was appropriate enough for Yoda to leave of course. Tatooine was outside of the 
Imperial sphere of influence for the moment, and in retrospect far safer than 
Dagobah, which was in an area of space currently within the boundaries of the 
former Republic. Never did Yoda ever think in his life he would be forced to use 
the realm of a crime lord such as Jabba the Hutt as a cover. He had imagined life 
in solitude before, and he admitted to himself that the life did sound like an 
appealing change of pace. 

Yoda had been born before the time the Jedi and the Republic instituted the 
mandatory and controversial Infant Force Sensitivity Test, Midiclorian counts were 
the most efficient way to do so, as the small organisms' presence was an indication 
of Force potency. Many Jedi scientists believed that Midiclorians were a side 
effect of a being's force sensitivity, the organisms fed on the natural Force 
produced by the being and colonized the bloodstream, further developing the 
connection. In Yoda's time the Jedi simply wandered the galaxy at the whim of the 
Force seeking potential Jedi Knights. Yoda had been such a child, raised in the 
crowded warrens of his planet, rising from the obscurity of his family's den to 
become one of the greatest Jedi the galaxy had ever known. 

In Yoda's time at the temple he had been surrounded by people close to him as well, 
his fellow Jedi were his new family and he had a bond with all of them that he 
could always rely on. Now they were all gone, and Yoda felt that in his heart he 
could bear loss no longer. Of course he could never be alone, not if the voice of 
Qui Gon kept ringing in his ears. 

"Tatooine Master Yoda, the answers are on Tatooine." 

It was the planet where it had all begun, where many years ago a slave boy with a 
knack for racing started down a new path. 

Yoda boarded the Sandcrawler, using the Force to translate the Jawas intricate 
language for him. The two Jawas had introduced their new friend, who was welcomed 
by the tribe with open arms. For a day Yoda began learning about the Jawas 
operation of scavenging material and reselling it to local merchants and directly 
to the moisture farmers, who were less picky when it came to obtaining parts. The 
ride had lasted barely a day when the crawler came upon a ruined settlement. 

Yoda inquired what this place was. One of the Jawas he had befriended explained 
that it was an abandoned Tusken Raider settlement, its inhabitants were all 
slaughtered about '3 Anchorhead Annuals ago' which was how the Jawas referred to 
the galactic standard years adopted by the various offworlders that had gradually 
settled the planet. The Jawas occaisionally stopped here because the Tuskens' well 
still functioned and they could gather a bit of water for their long stretch across 
the dunes towards Mos Espa. When he asked how the Tuskens' were murdered, the Jawa 
had explained that a great shadow had formed over the village, a punishment for the 
Sand People who murdered dozens of offworlders and Jawas alike. Another Jawa 
overhearing the conversation recalls how a human with oddly braided hair had been 
asking for the location of this particular settlement, and that if anyone had 
witnessed the encounter surely he was the one. 

A spark went off in Yoda's brain, 3 standard years ago they had fought in the 
Battle of Geonosis, prior to that he had felt a great pain from Anakin Skywalker. 
He never fully understood what had happened, but he was sure that if he 
investigated the site, he would be able to glean some insight as to what may have 
sent The Chosen One down the path of darkness. As Yoda hobbled down the ramp 
leading back out of the sandcrawler and past the carcass of a long dead Bantha, one 
thing was for certain. 

Qui Gon was such a blasted know it all. 



Obi Wan, now an unofficial resident in the Royal Palace of Alderaan, stood outside 
and extended his presence into the Force as far as he could. HE was beginning to 
relearn a few things about himself, and how that with enough calm and serenity he 
could overcome his condition, and regain a lot of his function. No longer would be 
fight Anakin to a stand still, but there was still plenty of work he was more than 
capable of, with or without a lightsaber. 

"Master Kenobi, it is good to see you alive." 

The voice had been Bail Organa's, and he was obviously frustrated and weary. Obi 
Wan turned and gave a knowing nod. "It's good to be alive Senator, is there 
something that troubles you? I'd like to at least feel useful at some point during 
my stay here." 

"It is nothing, I assure you." 

"You know I'm still a Jedi. I can read minds you know." 

"I thought that was just a bad rumor spread by cowards who wanted to sully the 
Order's reputation." 

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't" Obi Wan said jokingly. Bail looked on him and smiled, 
but through his mind was a great awe and respect. Obi Wan after all this was 
cracking jokes? This could be the most resilient man Bail had ever met. Which meant 
that he was perhaps the most qualified person to help him out. 

"What I'm about to say, well I must admit it would be asking a lot of you old 
friend, and if you don't even want to hear of it I can assure you I will never 
mention it in front of..." 

"Bail, just say it." Obi-Wan had interrupted, hoping the Senator would speak his 
mind and get to the point, which would make both men more comfortable. 

Bail smiled and scratched the back of his neck, almost laughing. "Maybe you do read 
minds. The situation however calls for someone with your expertise." 

Bail explained how he and Mon Mothma had each been quietly gathering up factions, 
drawing support from the fringe groups and worlds most likely to suffer under 
imperial rule and those who already had nothing to lose by defying the Empire. The 
chance to recruit Garm Bel Iblis had failed utterly and miserably, setting back the 
formation of a planned Rebel Alliance back by possibly years due to a lack of 
capital ships. Bail further noted his concerns that Mon Mothma would turn to former 
Separatists as a way of acquiring weapons for her war if people like Bel Iblis 
wouldn't help. Bail, knew that if she acted too quickly the hammer would be brought 
down on all systems, and if that time came he needed to be prepared to fight as 
well. 

"We were planning on disarming entirely, hoping to stash our weapons away where 
they might be used in the future by the Rebel Alliance, but Alderaan is now an 
inevitable target. We cannot oppose Palpatine outright without being crushed but we 
cannot cooperate without betraying ourselves." 

"Where exactly do I fit in all of this." 

"It's simple for now really. I can give you a temporary commission as a General in 
the Alderaanian Defense Force, under an assumed name of course. Eventually you'll 
be a senior ranking member of the Revolutionary military when the time finally does 
come." 


Obi Wan turned to look back out at the sky. Fighting in the clone wars had 
destroyed the Jedi, paying for the participation with their lives. But Obi Wan 
could think of no better way to join them, than by fighting one last great struggle 
to free the galaxy he had sworn to protect. 

The decision would not come lightly.



Chapter 5:  The Battle of Kessel

In the Dune Sea, Yoda walked away from the Sandcrawler he had called home for 
several days, and moved into an abandoned hovel. Armed now with knowledge about 
local water sources he chose this spot through the Force as the best place for him 
to decide what to do next, and to commune with Qui Gon. It had taken hours but he 
had finally managed to reach his fallen comrade from beyond, but instead of new 
insights into the force or even a simple greeting, Qui Gon had only managed a 
warning. 

"He is coming." 


Following the declaration of the Empire the planet Kessel had turned into the most 
impregnable fortress in the Galaxy. The head of Hoersch Kessel, a Skakoan named Mit 
Palldar who assumed his role thanks to a close relationship with former Techno Unit 
leader and fellow Skakoan named Wat Tambor, had begun consolidating every remaining 
CIS asset and assets of supporting corporations such as Baktoid and Haor Chall. The 
official goal was to prevent the Empire from nationalizing their industries as they 
had done to corporations across the galaxy; unofficially the goal was to provide a 
militarized haven for those who could be tried as war criminals by the former 
Republic. 

A Muunilisti Admiral was reviewing the fleet strength "Three Hundred of our 
remaining Lucrehulkc lass battleships In addition to approximately twelve hundred 
supporting capital ships. Including Providence-class cruisers. I have elected to 
move the flag to the "Lucid Voice" following the destruction of "Colicoid Swarm" 
during the failed reprisal against Utapau." 

Palladar had a complete roster of ships, and using his cybernetic enhancements he 
had already catalogued them and committed them to memory. But the Admiral was a 
Muunilisti, a banker, and as such he felt it necessary to go over every 
excruciating detail. Palldar didn't care, he was confident that this fortress 
system would hold out. They still maintained well-secured holdings in the area and 
they had the raw materials to last for many years. Well beyond his lifetime, 
eventually the novelty of the Empire would fade and the Republic would finally rid 
itself of Palpatine. Then he would strike, making the consumer fodder of the galaxy 
pay for undermining those who had bartered hard for their right to rule. 

Accessing some of his internal files, he recalled the last time he had spoken with 
Wat Tambor. In his heavily augmented voice he spoke of traveling to Mustafar, and 
that if anything should happen that the location of thousands of isolated-signal 
battle droids and equipment were being stockpiled across the galaxy. A result of 
Nute Gunray's wisely placed paranoia, one that would serve as a last ditch measure 
of defeating the Republic, and a measure that could be used in the case of 
preventing utter failure as well. 

The Muunilisti was rambling on about repositioning droid fighters to different 
locations, altering the locations of in-system chokepoints along hyperspace lanes 
and changing supply routes to fool Republican missions targeting essential convoys. 
when he quit speaking, Palldar considered it a relief and nearly snatched his 
datacards and walked off before he was interrupted by Admiral. 

"Cherished Executive, we have a situation. If you would accompany me to central 
command." 

Annoyed to the point of anger, Palldar sniped at his underling. "What is it now?" 

"An Imp...err...Republican fleet inbound, we currently count close to one thousand 
ships inbound, confirmation of Acclamator and Venator class ships." 

Palldar immediately switched from frustration to anxiety. The presence of the 
Republic's vaunted troopships and carrier ships meant only one thing, an invasion. 

From the bridge of the ISD Imperator, Supreme Commander Anakin Skywalker gave the 
order over the holonet to all of the ships under his command. "Begin the attack." 

The bloodiest battles of the Clone Wars were marked by the brutal fighting on the 
planet's surface as the Republic and Confederacy fought to control vital resources. 
Geonosis, Praesitlyn, Kashyyk, just to name a few. But the Imperial fleet under 
Anakin's command was not interested in the planet Kessel itself, they were only 
concerned with killing every last rebel as the Emperor had begun calling them. The 
bloodiest part of this battle would take place in the void surrounding Kessel. With 
space warfare came the challenges unique to three-dimensional combat. Defenses had 
been synchronized with the planets orbit so there were no gaps in coverage during 
any time of any day and the fleet was arrayed in a 360 degree pattern forming a 
defensive cocoon around Kessel, the shipyards, and the surface mining facilities 
which provided the badly needed capital to keep the fortification up and running. 

The chief planetary system in Hoersch-Kessel's portfolio, the world was rich in 
mineral deposits including several used in illicit narcotics. Late in the war the 
corporate governor's had struck a lucrative deal with the Hutts that allowed Hutt 
slave labor to mine for both the company and the Hutts. In return for their goods 
the Hutts paid handsomely. During the war it had been relatively unthinkable to 
attack the planet, its value as a major shipyard was diminished by its location and 
it was relatively insignifcant until it had become the last major world of the CIS, 
and the de facto capital of all remaining CIS forces. 

The Emperor had assigned Anakin to personally supervise the operation, because he 
could entrust nobody else to decimate the rebels as thoroughly, and the new 
Imperator-class Star Destroyers and their heavier guns were more befitting to 
Anakin's style. But there was a touch of deception in the plan, something that 
could be attributed to Anakin's growing knowledge of Sith teachings and also to the 
newly appointed Governor Tarkin, who had been assigned to the area which included 
Kessel during his military service. Tarkin was especially well schooled in the ways 
of applying violence, and he and his methods had found favor with the Supreme 
Chancellor turned-Emperor Palpatine. 


Palldar watched as the Invasion fleet began streaking towards the planet, the 
Imperials had chosen to attack the night side of the planet. Probably hoping to 
catch the defenders in that portion of the defensive grid unawares. But it mattered 
little for droids did not sleep. Automated defense systems jumped to full readiness 
and the ships assigned to protecting those areas began converging into a defensive 
perimeter, with the immense Lucrehulk-class battleships heading up the formations. 

This was where Palldar and the other holdout leaders knew that they could prevail. 
The Republic's most outstanding ships were the Venator and Acclamator class ships 
and neither of them could outperform in ship to ship combat like the Lucrehulk, the 
only ship the Kessel defenders knew they had to be wary of was the Victory-class 
Star Destroyer, and none seemed to be present in this fleet. 

"The arrogance of the Empire is that of the Republic! They send troopships and 
fighter carriers to overcome our fleet? Finally they will have a taste of their own 
blood streaming down their faces." Palldar screamed from within the control room, 
watching as the holodisplays of Providence-class ships finally completed the 
formations and began firing long-range barrages at the incoming Imperials. 


Though both ships carried weapons that could rain death upon an unshielded 
planetary surface, the primary role of the Venator and Acclamator was not to kill 
enemy capital ships. Anakin knew this full well when he sent in the bulk of his 
fleet ahead with only minimal escort from Imperial Dreadnaughts. The rebels had 
arrayed their forces in anticipation that the invaders would begin invading the 
planet at once, attempting to land their ships and deploy their fighters in an 
attempt to overrun the planet and gain control of the lucrative mines and 
facilities. 

Instead, Anakin had deliberately held back the new ISDs, hoping to draw the largest 
guns of the enemy fleet towards the front, so that he could crush them utterly, 
leaving nothing left of the Separatist Fleet but scattered debris and painful 
memories. The first wave of Venators had begun deploying fighters and engaging the 
Trade Federation Battleships. 

"Commence the second wave, target those droid control ships and battleships with 
our heaviest guns. Leave no rebel alive!" The order spread throughout the fleet, 
and the thousands of clone pilots and soldiers roared with applause upon hearing 
the order from their hero. 


From hyperspace the Imperators came, emerging right above the Venators thanks to 
sensor data being fed to their location. Within seconds they heaviest turbolasers 
had positive target locks on their adversaries and began firing. The heavy 
turbolasers of the ISD were unlike anything that had been mounted on a capital ship 
before and before long they were tearing the Lucrehulks to shreds. Although heavily 
shielded, the constant volleys of fire from multiple Star Destroyers began 
overwhelming them and it was not long before Palldar heard the screaming coming 
from his commanders. 

"Sir! Star Destroyers overwhelming us in position three! Permission to..." 

"Imperial ships have broken through the grid at... " 

"Ion cannons have fried all of our droids! I can't control..." 

Palldar shut off the loudspeaker. After that last transmission one of his 
battleships had plowed into a Banking Clan communication frigate that had been 
coordinating the message traffic. He turned to the Muunilisti Admiral, hesitating 
to shoot him dead with his sidearm, and screamed "Divert forces from the day side 
of the planet! Kill those star destroyers at all costs!" 

"But sir, that would leave us..." 

"I don't care! Just do it!" 

The Admiral acknowledged, and began transmitting the orders via secure landlines on 
the planet. Before long, reinforcements from the dayside of the planet began 
shifting into new positions to engage the enemy invaders. The grid could be 
reestablished later once the Empire had been pushed out for good. 


From his command console Anakin watched as dozens of ships began breaking their 
formation and heading towards his fleet. Despite the fact that these new 
reinforcements could very well bloody him he gave a toothy and sinister smile. He 
motioned towards his bridge officer. 

"Send the signal to Tarkin over the Holonet, tight beam transmission, commence 
phase 3. Warn all ships in the fleet to prepare to engage enemy reinforcements." 

The officer gave a swift salute and began sending the encoded signals through the 
holonet. Thanks to the galaxy-wide network of stations that provided the galactic 
access to the holonet, the signal reached Tarkin's fleet not far from the Maw 
cluster within seconds. Upon receiving the signal, Tarkin ordered his group of 15 
Victory class Star Destroyers to enter hyperspace and prepare to engage targets. 
Skywalker had managed to open a gap in the fleet; the battle data attached to the 
transmission showed Tarkin a nice wide opening through which to take his Star 
Destroyers through. The Separatist Rebels, foolishly believing that all of the 
Empire's VSDs were tied up in the remaining sieges in the Outer Rim, had mismanaged 
their fleet out of desperation and cowardice. The only challenge would be to try 
and spin this battle in such a way so that Tarkin got the credit for the victory 
for himself, without that brat Skywalker usurping him. 

The VSDs charged through space and emerged to little resistance from several Golan-
I battle stations and a scant handful of Commerce Guild support craft that had been 
late in responding to Palldar's command to reinforce against Skywalker. The big 
guns of the VSDs obliterated their targets before acquiring locks on the essential 
facilities. Tarkin's ships began bombarding shipyards and annihilating them. 

"Begin targeting the planetary shield at once." Tarkin quipped to his gunnery 
officer as he began analyzing the battle. Skywalker was more than holding his own 
against the chaotic separatists, already reeling from the losses of their orbital 
facilities. The gunnery officer began coordination with other ships in Tarkin's 
task force, aiming for those portions of the shield weakened by the falling debris 
from the shipyards. "Governor Tarkin Sir," spoke a slightly nervous and green 
bridge officer who was unsure of whether he should refer to Tarkin my his political 
or former military title. "Incoming message from General Skywalker." Tarkin 
repressed his emotions, maintaining his composure amongst lesser individuals was as 
much a part of being superior as anything else, but to those who knew him he was 
definitely annoyed. "Patch it through then." Tarkin had about as much admiration 
for Skywalker as he had for any other Jedi Traitor. Whatever it was about Skywalker 
that had made the Emperor spare him Tarkin still did not think him a worthwhile 
comrade. 

"Governor Tarkin, you've destroyed the orbital shipyards, why do you not divert 
your ships to engage the enemy fleet as per our battle plan?" 

Tarkin nearly scoffed aloud, feeling no need to explain himself to the brat before 
him. "General, in case you haven't noticed I have a clear shot at the planetary 
shield, Kessel will be hours within the hour if you would just quit..." Tarkin 
began to feel a tight grip around his throat but he did nothing, controlling his 
breathing instead by slowing his breathing and restricting his movements, but 
before he could speak Skywalker cut him off.. 

"Planetary shields do not concern me Governor, the Separatist fleet does. Your 
ships will begin engaging the rear echelon of the Enemy fleet now or I will see to 
it that the Emperor learns of your little mutiny." 

The borderline blasphemy nearly burned Tarkin's ears. "I understand General, the 
Emperor has given you control of this mission." Tarkin ended the transmission 
curtly and then gave the order to proceed along Skywalker's orders. Tarkin was now 
incredibly angry, A General, even the Supreme Commander of Imperial Military Forces 
should not be able to dictate orders to a high-ranking official such as himself. 
Skywalker's lack of political respect was maddening at times, but the Emperor had 
ordered Tarkin to follow Skywalker's command and to obey faithfully. For the time 
being there was no opposing Palpatine. At least, not until there was an opportunity 
great enough to equal the ambition. 


It took the better part of five hours, but Skywalker's forces had laid waste to the 
bulk of the last CIS fleet. What few ships that had been able to retreat were 
scattered to the four winds loaded with fleeing Separatists who feared the infamous 
Imperial War Crimes Tribunal. With the fleet gone Palldar was left with little to 
fight back with in space, and the Imperial bombardment was slowly wasting away at 
the energy shield that protected him. The fortress world of Kessel and Hoersch 
Kessel Corporation had fallen. With one last exasperated sigh, Palldar raised his 
sidearm to his head, and fired it for the first time. One shot, one kill. 


General Skywalker had begun touring the conquered planet the next day. Star 
Destroyer-based bombers had decimated what was left of the droid garrison, caught 
on the ground unable to resist against the massive Imperial Armada. Anakin had 
taken it upon himself to begin touring the slave mines, where he learned of the 
Hutt Connection to Hoersch Kessel. After a short investigation, he returned to his 
flagship, and upon returning he immediately contacted his master via a secure 
holocomm. Before long, the image of Emperor Palpatine as Lord Sidious emerged, a 
blue ghost floating in the air before him. 

"My Master, I bring news of victory from Kessel." Anakin said as he knelt. 

"So I have heard Lord Vader, I trust that this marks the end of the Separatist 
threat then?" 

"What remains is nothing more than a scattered group of cowards who fear our 
justice my master." 

"And you have discovered the source of Kessel's income which allowed it to thrive 
despite the death of the separatist leaders on Mustafar?" 

"I have my master. The Hutts supplied both slave labor and financial support to 
Kessel." 

Sidious considered this, and began letting his thoughts merge into the Force, the 
framework of a plan laying before him. "This works to our advantage, the Hutts have 
yet to yield control of their systems to Imperial authority." 

"A simple display of strength my master, would subjugate them rather swiftly my 
master." 

"Perhaps in another time that would suffice, but I sense within you a great storm 
Lord Vader, a storm which clouds your judgment." 

Anakin refused to respond, and instead clenched his fist and attempting to control 
his temper. Sidious glared at his apprentice and then gave one of those sadistic 
grins that usually preceded a set of particularly gruesome orders, as he had done 
before sending Anakin to the Jedi Temple. 

"As long as the Hutts believe they can operate freely they will be a detriment to 
the New Order. Follow up a lead on this Hutt connection, and be sure to deal with 
it...appropriately." 

The image of Sidious dissipated and Lord Vader arose, extending the fingers on his 
mechanical hand and re-clenching it into a fist. He had already looked into the 
Hutt connection and he knew where he had to go, for his entire boyhood he had lived 
in slavery thanks to the Hutts, as well as thousands of others throughout the 
galaxy. As a boy he had dreams of wielding a lightsaber and freeing his mother and 
every other slave in the galaxy. OF course back then he though he would be a Jedi, 
back then he thought he would fight for freedom. But reality can be much different, 
and far stranger than a dream. Instead he wielded the blade of a Sith, and his 
fight would be under the pretense of justice, but fueled by vengeance. 

The Hutts claimed Nal Hutta as the chief world in their holdings, and many 
influential Hutts lived and did business there or on the smuggler's moon of Nar 
Shaddaa. But everyone in the know of the galaxy knew that the most influential 
Hutt, the Hutt with the most money, the Hutt who happened to broker the majority of 
the slave dealings with the Hoersch Kessel company lived on a different world, and 
that Hutt was named Jabba. Anakin would confront Jabba, even though it meant 
returning to the world he hated most, Tatooine.



Chapter 6:  Return to Tatooine

"So this it it then Bail? You're just going to back out of the Alliance just as we 
are on the verge of establishing it?" 

Mon Mothma's image projected onto Bail's desk at his residence on Alderaan. Seated 
herself, she was flanked by two beings. One of them was the three-eyed Gran senator 
Ask Aak, and the other was a Neimoidian that Bial recognized as Lott Dod, The 
former senator who represented the Trade Federation in the Galactic Senate. Dod had 
been placed under house arrest in his residence on Coruscant shortly after Geonosis 
and was reinstated as the Senator of Cato Neimoidia upon the conquest of that 
planet by the Republic, but his position was shaky at best as the accusations of 
prosecutors in the Imperial War Crimes Tribunal were calling for Dod's execution on 
charges of treason. Bail hadn't shed a tear when a subpoena was issued for Dod to 
appear in front of the Tribunal, Dod's incessant use of loopholes and red tape to 
bog down the Senate had been a point of contention for years. Without the support 
of Bel Iblis or any other major military backing Mon Mothma had been forced to seek 
elsewhere for firepower that would arm her rebellion. There was only one 
organization in the galaxy as well armed as the Imperial military, and these days 
there were plenty of former Separatists itching for a chance at revenge. 

"I have told you repeatedly, the armed conflict you are suggesting directly 
contradicts what the people of Alderaan believe in." 

"So you have said many times Bail, but just because Alderaan isn't a target yet 
doesn't mean you won't one day. How does the saying go? First they came for the 
Droids, then the Pacifists, then the Jedi, and then they finally come for you and 
there isn't a being left to speak up for you because you let them all be taken 
away." 

"How did the saying go ten years ago? 'I will lay down my powers as soon as this 
crisis has been averted.' You remember that line don't you? If you succeed and your 
rebellion overcomes the Empire how long will it take you to lay down your powers?" 

"Well I am not going to just sit and let the Empire claim absolute control over the 
rights and freedoms over the galaxy. Senator Dod here feels the same way and he's 
willing to make up for his past transgressions to do something about it." 

"Then consider this my heartfelt wish that you succeed Senator." 

Bail quickly switched off the holoprojector and stormed out of the office, Mon 
Mothma's impatience would set back any sort of resistance for years. The resounding 
Imperial victory at Kessel had caused her to act quickly, thinking that she needed 
to begin forming a network before pro-Imperial sentiment could grow any further. 
Anakin's Skywalker's glorified exploits were giving the COMPNOR propaganda machine 
heaps of new material. The birth of the Skywalker twins was widely heralded across 
the Empire as well but it had hit particularly hard at home on Alderaan, where Bail 
was starting to become flooded with inquiries as to why he hadn't a family of his 
own yet to continue the royal line and preserve Alderaan's heritage. Those requests 
had started to become quite irritating. 

But Mon Mothma following through on her promises to align with former Separatists 
had been the final straw. She was genuine in her determination to win back the lost 
freedoms of the galaxy, of this Bail was certain, but in critical situations she 
would act without thinking and Bail was incapable of being the moderating influence 
against her that might have lured support. Continuing his brisk walk away from his 
office, and in to the adjunct building that served as the headquarters for the 
Alderaanian Defense Forces, he passed one of the newest officers in the military, 
who gave a gloved salute to the Senator that seemed just as friendly as it was 
professional. 

"Greetings Senator Organa." came the monotone voice, mechanical but softened enough 
so that it wasn't as cold as a typical modulator spoke. General Ben Cody, formerly 
the Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi, had recently been named the top military official 
of Alderaan. With the help of some expert Bothan slicers and a few eyes blinded by 
credits Ben Cody's record showed him as a faithful soldier who commanded The 
Tantive III as part of a Naval group that served in the lackluster campaign in the 
Drongar system. The Tantive III was destroyed and all hands lost, thanks to the 
subterfuge however Ben Cody's record now indicated a miraculous escape that 
resulted in spectacular injuries, necessitating the use of an extensive cybernetic 
life support suit. With Ben Cody having to living relatives, the role was perfect 
for Obi Wan to assume. 

In the previous days the adjustment to the suit had allowed for tailors to shape 
the suit to have a professional military appearance, much of the components were 
concealed beneath a gray suit stitched to allow as much mobility as possible. In 
private Obi Wan had managed to incorporate a small case for a lightsaber into his 
right arm. Allowing him to carry it discreetly. 

"Greetings General Cody. I apologize for my rudeness but there is a pressing matter 
I must attend to." 

"Fair enough, but remember senator, your thoughts betray you far easier if you wear 
them on your sleeve." 

Bail paused and reminded himself that despite his condition, Obi Wan was still a 
skilled Jedi Master, and keeping things to himself would take more than the 
standard "busy politician" dismissal he had been used to giving. 

"Things are not going well my friend." 

"It's Mon Mothma isn't it." Obi Wan said, not needing his abilities to sense what 
was going on. 

"She's convinced that if we don't do something about Palpatine soon that we're done 
for, she's already in position to start another war. The last thing the galaxy 
needs is another war right now, especially another large-scale civil war. The 
tighter we clench our fist in anger at the Empire, the more support we let slip 
through our fingers. War is not the answer, not yet." 

"That is something you've been saying since Geonosis, I agreed with you then and I 
agree with you now. But you can't let your own reservations about her decisions 
change the fact that something will have to be done. Right now we have nothing 
going for us," Obi Wan looked around to ensure no one was eavesdropping "and it was 
my own fault for failing on Mustafar." 

"I apologize for what i'm about to say General, but speaking of Mustafar there is 
some news about your former...colleague...that you might find worth your time." 



The ISD Imperator emerged from hyperspace unannounced in the Hutt-controlled system 
of Tatooine, the Republic government had never sent a ship representing the Federal 
level, occasional unofficial visits had been made in the past but for thousands of 
years the Republic had generally left the Hutt Systems alone, abiding by an 
unwritten set of rules. Anakin looked down at the world of his birth, looking at 
the globe of sand. Many years ago, he had looked upwards from that desert towards 
the space he inhabited now, dreaming of a day when he would be able to travel 
amongst the stars. With modern technology, it was feasible to actually travel to a 
distant end of space and watch yourself from many years ago as the light travels 
across the void. 

The desert held many memories for Anakin, and although he could recall the happier 
times he could not feel them like he could feel the pain and the suffering he left 
behind. Never returning since departing for Geonosis. He wanted to reduce the world 
to the same rubble that Kessel had become. Every building on the planet had been 
leveled and the entire world turned into a maximum-security prison. But the 
Emperor, his Master, had given him a task. The Hutts had to be brought into line 
with the Empire, Jabba would be the key, and then he could attend to a few personal 
matters before finally being able to abandon this world for all time. 


Back on Coruscant, now officially renamed Imperial Center, Palpatine was finally 
finished with the official daily business of running the galaxy, and able to 
continue machinations he had set aside elsewhere across the galaxy including the 
chain of events that would ensure Skywalker's loyalty to him, loyalty that would 
keep Anakin from turning on his master, giving Sidious the time to increase his 
power enough so that he could destroy Vader as well has ensuring that his death 
contributed to his own cause of course. 

In his own mind Anakin was a true friend, and a beloved apprentice, but it was also 
his duty as a Sith to one day rise up and overthrow his master just as it was 
Sidious' duty to train the most powerful apprentice he possibly could, replacing 
him as he saw fit and striking down any coup attempts so that the most powerful 
Sith Lord in existence is the master, as it had been since the time of Darth Bane. 

Vader was becoming more immersed in the dark side with each act of malice; Sidious 
knew that his apprentice would have avoided Tatooine entirely for the rest of his 
life unless ordered to do so. At first it had been simply a possibility, one that 
Sidious had been reluctant to pursue. But the eyes and ears of the Empire were 
everywhere, especially in the Outer Rim where sedition was beginning to rear its 
head once again, and when it had been confirmed it had been immediately brought to 
the Emperor. 

Of course Yoda had not died during their battle, but there was no way he would ever 
live openly again either. Sidious had been content to let Yoda die a lonesome 
miserable death in exile on some uncharted world, but when the passenger roster for 
a transport heading to Tatooine listed a diminutive passenger who gave no name, 
paid for fare in hard currency, and carried no possessions with him, Sidious had 
sought his answer in the Force and received it. There would be no need to tell 
Vader, he would come to that conclusion on his own eventually. The battle with the 
final Jedi would cement Anakin's darkness, and erase that last string of the light 
he held on to. With that complete, there would be no one for him to turn to once 
the next stage of the grand design went into play. Ruling an Empire was but a minor 
accomplishment when compared to true immortality. 


The natives of Mos Eisley rarely left their city, largely because moving to another 
planet was cost prohibitive and occasionally because the statute of limitations had 
not yet expired on past misdeeds. But Mos Eisley was full of travelers from across 
the galaxy as well, and many of them found quick fortunes in the Clone Wars. These 
were the beings that were familiar with the white armored Imperial Clone 
Stormtroopers that were marching in a column in one of the city's largest plazas. 
Of course Commandos had already landed in order to secure a spaceport berth and 
clear the area of possible antagonists to clear the way for the symbolic gesture. 
On the Emperor's orders Anakin was to march his troops through the town in order to 
signify the coming of Imperial rule. Anakin as a young child had never been to Mos 
Eisley, but one Hutt City looked just like the next. Supposedly Anchorhead was a 
lot different, but it really didn't matter. 

As soon as the March was completed Anakin signaled the ship to begin landing prefab 
buildings in specific locations, the first steps in constructing a garrison. Soon 
after he was on his way to Jabba's palace via LAAT, along with a team of ARC 
Commandos that despite their increased independence were quite loyal to the General 
who had led them to victory over a seemingly invincible droid enemy. Anakin felt no 
need to be subtle, nor a need to be cautious as he approached the great door of the 
palace. According to the background information he had been given, the palace was 
an old monastery created by the B'omarr monks ages ago, their unique practice of 
preserving their brains within small mechanized bodies allowed Jabba to simply 
assume the structure as his own. As he got closer Anakin sensed a slight 
disturbance in the Force and held his ground when a long mechanized arm with a 
visual recorder, almost definitely part of a larger security system relaying 
information to some of Jabba's trusted lieutenants. 

"Chuba ki aspa isti?" the arm asked. Anakin was already frustrated enough as it was 
without some bottom-rate thug inquiring about his business. As soon as it was 
possible he would drop the false pretenses he was working under and allow himself a 
release of the anger brewing within him. 

"I bring a message for Jabba the Hutt, on behalf of his majesty Emperor Palpatine, 
and on the behalf of the Imperial Senate." Using the Force Anakin began 
subconsciously ordering the ARC troopers to begin doing a sweep of the area. High 
yield explosives were not out of a Hutt's price range, even a stingy Hutt like 
Jabba. Nothing turned up though, and Anakin decided to proceed. 

"Chuba ki naga ke ji isti?" The arm asked almost sarcastically. "Tolpa da banki 
danko." 

"You can tell your master, that if he decides to ignore my request, then the Star 
Destroyer in orbit will reduce this palace and all of his assets on this force 
forsaken planet into the deepest craters he has ever seen, that is, if he lives to 
survive it. Tell him that General Anakin Skywalker delivers this message 
personally. You have five standard minutes to open these doors or I will enter of 
my own volition." 

On that final note two of the ARC troopers hefted a pair of rocket launchers and 
the mechanical appendage wasted little time darting back into wherever it came 
from, it took less than a minute for the large doors to open. As thick as the hull 
of a starship, the rockets may not have been enough, but whomever it was observing 
must have noticed the LAAT off in the distance, LAATs had gained instant renown for 
their handling of departing starships at the battle of Geonosis. Between those 
rockets, and the beam turrets, the door would have proven as effective as a flimsi 
shroud. 

Anakin called on the Force to guide him through the darkened chambers, as if he 
needed the extrasensory perception to tell that Gammorean guards were stationed 
along the route. He could smell their foul odor in the air and his hearing picked 
up barely muffled grunting sounds. Nothing in their demeanor suggested an attack, 
it seemed more like an attempt to make Anakin uneasy. Methods like these were more 
suited to someone like Count Dooku, Anakin summoned the Force and caused two pairs 
of guards to crash into each other, their thick skulls impacting with a sickening 
sound, a small gesture intended to give mild concussions, but enough of a gesture 
to turn the tables. 

The ARC troopers followed in, using their HUDs to gain a tactical assessment of the 
situation and communicate with their comrades. Anakin paid them little attention, 
walking as he would down any other hallway while the ARCs acted as they would 
behind enemy lines, fanning out in groups of two, and logging every possible 
threat, including the various booby traps and ambush locations. Alpha, the lead 
trooper, had initially planned on planting explosives over the entire compound, but 
Anakin had said that would not be necessary, and that if it were necessary to 
destroy the palace that a fighter strike would suffice. Alpha however wished he had 
still done so anyway, as he and his troopers watched Anakin stride confidently into 
Jabba's throne room. He turned his headset to the squad frequency. 

"All right, while the General is doing his thing we're going to do ours. Any 
information we can gather we will take, any vehicles we find we will disable, and 
any hostile we encounter we will kill. Break off into pairs and maintain comm 
silence." It didn't take any motivation to get the ARC troopers moving. In order to 
be the best, you had to succeed in every mission regardless of orders, and the ARC 
Troopers were the best. 


Within his hovel, Yoda felt the cold presence of Darth Vader, the man who had once 
been Anakin Skywalker. Although it was almost impossible that Anakin would be upon 
him so quickly, there was nothing Yoda could sense that a battle was impending, as 
if Anakin were on Tatooine for different reasons. His new residence was far from 
the larger cities, but through his connections with the Jawas he had befriended he 
knew that Clone troopers, soldiers he once led into battle, were marching in the 
streets. Yoda found it almost humorous, the Empire was attempting to bring order to 
the most lawless region in space. If history stayed true to form, any attempt to 
impose law on fringe regions such as Tatooine would eventually end in failure as 
corruption and apathy set in amongst the occupiers. But history was a funny thing 
as of late, thousands of years of history behind the Republic, and thousands more 
behind the Jedi Order had been wiped out in one deft stroke. 

"Of course the same thing had happened to the Sith at one point as well." Qui Gonn 
had been quick to remind him. But Yoda was not ready to follow the same course the 
Sith had in their resurgence. A master and apprentice alone were enough to bring 
the galaxy to its knees, but far from enough to spread the peace and true freedom 
that was the right of every sentient being. The Jedi had been rebuilt from the 
brink of extinction before, shortly after the Mandalorian Wars and Jedi Civil Wars. 
Of course the specific factors that contributed to that had been lost to history 
ages ago, but what knowledge that was retained clearly stated that the Order needed 
as many possible Jedi in order to rebuild. Other legends and ancient texts spoke of 
how the most powerful Jedi would arise in the darkest of times. 

"Enough of a mess we are in, because of prophecies." Yoda spoke to himself as he 
hobbled over to a small chest where he kept his lightsaber. Gripping the hilt of a 
weapon he had wanted to forsake so badly many years ago. Even before Geonosis, he 
had contemplated leaving the Council and focusing more on teaching. After Naboo 
however, he felt that he best served the Force as a member of the Council. 

"They are all with the Force now Master, in time they will learn to join with the 
Force as completely as I have." 

Yoda clipped the blade to his belt, knowing where Anakin would go next as soon as 
he finished whatever business he was attending to. 

"Anakin remains the Chosen One, he will still yet bring balance to the Force." 

Yoda pulled his robes over his head to shield himself from the inevitable gusts of 
sand, and lowered his head hoping to find an Eopie o another creature that would 
carry him. 

"There is still good in him." 

Obi Wan had also said that there was still good left in him. IF there was then Yoda 
could not see it, whenever he closed his eyes he could only see the dead fallen all 
over the Temple. Luminous beings all of them had become, but Yoda still grieved for 
them, seeing Obi Wan covered in machines shattered his resolve utterly. There was 
still one-way however, that things could be made right. He closed the door behind 
him, following the directions given to him, directions to the Lars homestead.


Chapter 7

***
Padme, please understand.

I turned my back on the Jedi, and Obi Wan, so that you and I could have our future together, like I promised, so that we could grow old and happy along with our children.  I didn't want them to know the horrors of war.

But in saving you, to keep you alive I have stained my hands with so much blood I fear they will never come clean.  I can feel the light inside me fading, growing dimmer with each passing moment as I surrender myself to the darkness.

It was the only way to save you, and I will never regret it.

No matter what happens I will always love you and our children with all of my heart, our family will always shine brightly within me.

Love, 
Anakin
***

Teardrops fell from Padme's eyes, soaking the flimsi letter she had received handwritten from her husband, scribed shortly before his departure to Kessel. Even though her children, and family members who had traveled far from Naboo surrounded her, Padme cried.  Her children were safe, the war was over, and she was alive when she should have died, but it had been at the expense of her husband's soul.  The love they shared had caused him to fall from grace, and she had wondered whether or not any love was worth the personal hell that both she and Anakin were going through right now.

And yet, as her children were handed to her and even as the tight sensation of remorse filled her chest, she summoned her courage.  She knew there was still a light inside of him, a flame that could outshine the darkness if fanned properly.  Luke and Leia cooed silently in their mother's arms, and the serenity on their faces calmed her heart.  She wasn't the only one who could help bring Anakin back anymore.


Anakin remembered the moment he had written the letter to Padme, his duty had called for him before he had time to give her a proper goodbye, the note had been written in advance during the delivery itself.  He had never been good with words, but he knew how to express himself to her.

Now as he entered the chamber of Jabba the Hutt, Anakin summoned some of his anger, and the light inside him faded as he pushed thoughts of her down into the depths of his psyche.  This task required the Iron Fist of Darth Vader, but in order for Darth Vader to fully emerge another part of Anakin Skywalker had to die.  The anger came forth easily, Darth Vader drew power from hate, and there was nothing in the galaxy that Darth Vader hated more than Anakin Skywalker.

If Jabba had more time in advance to prepare for this meeting he surely would not have chosen his throne room.  The Hutt himself was situated in his usual position at the center of the chamber, surrounded by Gammorean and Weequay guards as well as what seemed to be hundreds of the worst scum in the galaxy.  Vibroblades, blasters of various sizes, even grenades were trained on him.  Yet, despite the seemingly overwhelming advantage in firepower, there was no other expression on Anakin's face other than disinterest.

["Ho Ho Ho Skywalker..."] came the low belly laugh that was Jabba's trademark among those who knew of him.  ["The depictions of you on the holonet are as accurate as they say, you are as bold as they come."]

Anakin refused to speak; instead he called the Dark Side to him.  While the Light Side of the Force allowed a Jedi to expand his consciousness to extend around him, The Dark Side made a Sith the center of the universe, allow the Sith to dictate the course of action.  It was a different experience, but Anakin had been walking this fine line for many years during the Clone Wars with Obi Wan.  As thoughts of his former master crossed his mind again his hate grew stronger and the Force drew to him quicker.

["I see...but it doesn't matter.  This is not the Republic boy, and we have laws here."]  Jabba turned to his attendant, a cowardly looking Twi'lek by the name of Bib Fortuna.  ["Send in the Toydarian."]

Anakin was distracted by that, there was only one Toydarian Anakin had ever known.  It couldn't possibly be...

"You have some nerve boy!"  Came Watto's disgruntled sounding shout.  "Returning to this planet yet again without paying off your debt to me!"

Watto had purchased Anakin's mother long ago, and assumed ownership of Anakin when he had been born.  Won from a Hutt if he remembered correctly, to pay off a gambling debt.  The last time Anakin had seen him, he had been down on his luck in the streets of Mos Espa.  Now memories of his mother came back, of the Tuskens.

If the Force were visible to normal eyes, then the scores of mercenaries surrounding Anakin Skywalker would see the blackest and most ominous storm clouds they had ever seen in their entire lives.  Jabba's booming voice filled the chamber again.

["This is not one of your planets Boy.  The Jedi who assumed your ownership, as a citizen of the Republic he could not legally own a slave.  Therefore, Watto retained his rights to ownership."]

Anakin's hand went to the grip of his lightsaber, eerily similar to the dreams of his youth.  So Jabba had anticipated Anakin's arrival, and allowed him to make his way through with minimal effort.  But if this was simply a desperate move by Watto to reacquire his former slave then why would the Hutts get involved, there was no profit in this.

["So instead of this grandstanding, you will be fitted with a slave collar and returned to Mos Espa.  Unless your Empire wasnts to buy you back for say, a billion credits.  Surely the hero of the Clone Wars is worth that much."]

So that is what this was all about, nothing more than a petty blackmail scheme.  Jabba obviously hadn't very much experience with an enemy skilled in the force.  

"You scum obviously have no idea of what power really means."  Anakin said in a cold and grim voice.  "Lay down your weapons and surrender immediately or I swear I will destroy each and every one of you."

"Don't listen to him!"  Barked Watto.  "It's nothing but a Jedi Mind Trick!"

Jabba laughed immediately after hearing that, although he did swat Watto for good measure, drawing a loud laugh from the Kowakian Lizard Monkey at his side.

["Ho Ho Ho...The young Jedi is a fool to think that he can sway a Hutt with such parlor tricks.  I think for that the Empire will have to pay us even more."]

Those mercenaries closest to Watto, in the second before the fight broke out, could have sworn that the hairs on his head were standing straight up.  Not long afterwards, a blast of lightning made of sheer rage burst from Anakin's fingertips and incinerated his former Master.  Mercenaries looked on in absolute shock as the charred skin of Watto burned, creating a meaty smell in the room.  His bones turned black, and his screams were muffled by the intense sound of the energy crackling around him.  What was left of him lay on the floor in a stinking heap.  Jabba's head turned from the remains, and back to his quarry.

["Fine, now I don't have to pay him.  Whoever captures or kills Skywalker first receives the Toydarian's share of the purse.  GET HIM!"]

A blast rang out, but it did not go towards Anakin, but into the skull of a mercenary.  Then another, and another.  One by one the mercenaries started to shoot each other at point blank ranges, stabbing each other with concealed vibroknives, Gammorean guards began bludgeoning each other with their axes. Weaker minded individuals and those sensitive to the currents of the Force fell in agony as their brains sent a neutralizing fear response through their body, crippling them. In the center of this storm, Jabba looked on in terror as Anakin flashed a vicious smile, the blade extended to its full length with a crimson hue.  Anakin had replaced the crystal in his lightsaber with a new one that Palpatine had given him, taken from the blade of Darth Plagueis no less.

Jabba was desperate now, his minions were either slaughtering each other or crippled in fear.  There was only one thing left he could do, he desperately fumbled with the switch to the trap door that Anakin stood over, for a second it looked as if the doors would open and that Anakin would be swallowed up and sent to his fate below.  But the lever jammed, or at least that's what he had though at first.  But Anakin was no idiot; he had walked into many traps before and knew exactly what he was doing.  

"Do you really think I was going to fall for something as simple as a trap door Jabba?"  Darth Vader said as he walked closer, the fat Hutt tried to slither away but there was no way out in between the walls behind him and the door, he would have to go through Skywalker to get anywhere.  He looked to Bib Fortuna, who had sprinted away at the first blaster shots through the crowd and was probably prepping a skiff to evacuate by now.

["Listen, we can talk this over.  NAme your price Skywalker.  I grant you your freedom!  Do you want money?  More power?  I have information!   Anything you want!"]

Anakin raised his blade.  "I'm getting tired of slime like you offering me anything I want, when no one could EVER possibly give me what I want."

Padme...

For a brief second Anakin's concentration slipped, Jabba's frantic pulling of the trap door lever managed to work for a brief moment, separating the doors for almost half a meter before Anakin regained his composure.  He deftly stepped to the side and regained his hold with the Force.  Sorely tempted, he looked down into the maw of Jabba's dungeon, which seemed big enough to hold a Rancor.

Anakin had never seen a Krayt Dragon before, but from all the descriptions he had been given this was definitely one of them.  The legendary dragons were so few in number they were considered mythical to anyone except natives.  Jabba had obtained one, for entertainment and to do away with the messes that caracasses tended to leave.  Vader could feel the savage hunger of the monster, kept at the edge of ferocity with hunger and harsh treatment.

"Perhaps Jabba, it is time for you to feed your pet.  Give my regards to Watto if you see him in hell."

Vader changed his grip with the Force and locked the lever to open, walking off of the door as it slowly slid open, unleashing the roars of the Krayt Dragon below him.  The doors were locked open, and the fighting between mercenaries spilled over, with several of them falling to the demise.  Using the Force, Vader sought out Jabba's stomach, even through the Force he could tell it was a vile and disgusting thing.  the Force shot outwards from Jabba's stomach like needles, perforating his gut with many small holes, causing great pain to the bloated crime lord.  Jabba cried out in great pain as Darth Vader levitated him off of his platform, and dropped him into the pit below.  The de facto ruler of Tatooine suffered greatly before he died.

Anakin called the Force back to him as he left the palace, sending the signal to the ARC troopers to return with him.  

"Sir," Alpha replied.  "We captured a Twi'lek leaving the palace on a Skiff.  Do you wish us to question him?"

"Kill him," Anakin said plainly. "And before departing send a signal to the Star Destroyer to turn this entire area into a large crater.  No one gets out of this building alive.  We will return to base camp for a short while, but keep a gunship ready, I have some personal business to attend to elsewhere on this rock."

"Yes Sir, General."



Across the sands in Mos Espa, Yoda had finally reached the Lars homestead, he dismounted the wild Eopie he had come across and sent it on its way.  As he made his way towards the small complex of buildings he could feel the darkness in the air from Anakin's battle.  Yoda leaned on his gimer stick as a strong wind combined with the gut wrenching feeling of the Dark Side nearly knocked him from his feet.

"Soon my time will be."  He thought to himself before reaching out with the Force.  As he came to the perimeter a pair of farm hands rushed towards him with weapons drawn expecting to find Tusken Raiders.

"To the head of the household I must speak."  Yoda asked.

"To the head of the household he must speak."  said one of the farm hands to the other, who seemed to agree with him.

"I'll go get Owen, he'll want to talk to this guy.  Why don't you two go wait in the yard down where it's safe from the wind."

Yoda sighed softly as the first farm hand led Yoda towards the protected area of the farm, a sort of pit dug into the surface which afforded protection from the heat and the wind.  He was more than a little irked at the fact that he had never been forced into using his mental abilities before to manipulate people, just to be able to meet someone face to face without worry he would be discovered or killed.



"Your highness, as you can see construction of the prototype is underway.  The additional labor being provided by the captured Wookies and Separatists will allow us to conduct our first test shots within a few months."  

"Excellent work Governor Tarkin.  What will the status be of the weapon after that."

"According to Lemelisk sir as soon as we finish with the prototype and perfect the design of the superlaser itself we should be able to build a working model of the station within four months, and he claims that once we finish perfecting the design for that we could have the much larger version that you requested availiable within six months.  Scaling up the design should not be a problem at all with the resources you have given us."

Emperor Palpatine smiled and folded his hands, Tarkin was still growing accustomed to Palpatine's new appearance and the Emperor was not above using his new visage to torment his underlings slightly.

"Then I will leave you to your work for now.  Remember, word of this project must not reach the Senate just yet."

"I assure you my lord, we are being as careful as we can.  Already our forces have eliminated the Separatists assigned to the initial development project, and the least skilled and least valuable workers are culled every few weeks."

"For your sake Governor, I hope you are right."

Palpatine shut down the power to the receiver on the holodisplay and laughed to himself, the most powerful technology in the galaxy was within his grasp, and when it was there would be nothing in the galaxy that could defeat him.  Not even his apprentice.


Chapter 8


Anakin's gunship had arrived at the Lars homestead not long after a quick stop at the base camp. With preparations in place to eradicate Jabba's palace and to establish a garrison he could divert his attention to more personal matters. Again he traveled alone, but this time he ordered the ARCs to remain behind, giving the order in such a tone that not even the most battle hardened one of them would dare question it. Such was the added weight of the Dark Side of the Force. 

Son, my place is here. My future is here. It is time for you to let 
go...to let go of me. I cannot go with you. 

The sight of the homestead, the heat of the twin suns, and the pain that would forever occupy his heart surged inside of him. He had never called this place home, but the emotions of this place and their echo in the Force could still be felt. When the feelings of a powerful Force user manifest themselves in such a strong way they leave an imprint in the surrounding area. Anakin was powerful enough to leave such an imprint, and this was the place where he had buried his mother. 

"Now, be brave, and don't look back." 

How brave could he have possibly been? One of the first things the Jedi Council had told him was that he was full of fear. Even on the brink of war as a Padawan all Anakin could do was dream of his mother, longing for the days when his fears could be laid to rest with a soft smile and a warm touch. 

"Annie...? Is it you...?" 

He had played the scenario in his mind many times, no matter how many times he had tried to envision it he always asked himself the same question. "Would she even remember me?" It had been many years and he had become a man. Traveling across the galaxy as he had dreamt. But even on the brink of death after so long Shmi Skywalker had still recognized her boy in an instant. 

"Annie? Annie? You look so handsome. My son... my 
grown-up son. I'm so proud of you, Annie... so proud... I 
missed you so much..."

How many years had it been that he longed to see his mother again, the only family he had ever known aside from the Jedi. Of them all only Obi-Wan had ever felt like family, he had made friends but no one he could trust. Even his master he could not fully confide him, the feelings he held dear to himself were in direct violation of the Jedi Code. 

"I love you."

The final words his mother had spoken, although the last part had been inaudible, as she had gasped in her final breath. He forced himself to wonder if she would still say those same things now that he had forsaken the Jedi she had entrusted her son with. He had won many victories, defeated powerful enemies, but even the powers his new master had promised him weren't enough. Keeping someone from dying was not enough to erase the terrible pain in his heart. 

"Fall upon you, the shadow of greed has." 

The voice of his mother was replaced by Yoda's ancient tone, only this time the vivid recollection was replaced by actual sound. A stunned Anakin turned to see his former comrade and teacher standing in the desert no more than ten meters from him, a gust of sand blowing over his cloak. 

"Anticipate this when you were a boy I did, felt it I did before Geonosis, see it I did on Coruscant when sought my counsel you did." 

"The typical arrogant observations of a Jedi." Anakin snapped through clenched teeth. If his fury were a turbolaser he would have atomized Yoda by now, but his fury was something far more destructive than that. "How did you find this place? Answer me!" 

"Typical impatience of a Sith, the quick and easy path you do seek, for power and for knowledge. With your feelings reach out, and the answer on your own, you can find." 

Anakin immediately reached for his lightsaber, wanting nothing more than to strike Yoda down and present his diminutive corpse before his master. Then Yoda could have the same peace that every other dead being supposedly enjoyed, including his mother. 

"Enough of this. If a battle is what you wish however I would be more than willing to accommodate you." Anakin's blade flashed, the crimson bloodshine of a Sith blade had replaced the sky blue of his former blade, and if Yoda had felt there was any chance Anakin could be redeemed it was incinerated with the ignition of his new blade. 

"STOP!" 

The voice was that of Owen Lars, who had come running out to the gravesite with a blaster rifle in hand. An older model better suited for scaring away the occasional Jawa or Tusken Raider than for taking on a highly skilled Sith Lord, but to his credit he refused to flinch. 

Yoda had met with Owen, informing them of Anakin's impending arrival. Owen and most of his hands hated the Empire and readily evacuated, but something had kept Owen behind, and Yoda was worried that the farmer did not know what he was getting into. There was nothing he could do however, if he broke his concentration on Anakin for but a moment he could readily leap into action and strike him down, and it was not Yoda's place just yet to die. 

"I'm sorry Master Yoda, but my brother and I need to have a few words." 

Owen barely restrained himself when he spoke of how much he hated the Republic, especially since it had become the Galactic Empire. Cliegg had specifically ordered him to stay on the farm, so that his boy could not join the Separatists. But Owen had dreamed of overthrowing the government and establishing a real democracy and order on Tatooine and worlds like it, planets that had been ignored for centuries and allowed to languish under the control of scum such as the Hutts. But at least the Hutts gave residents autonomy so long as they didn't meddle with their affairs; the Empire however had begun nationalizing everything it could get its hands on. When Cliegg had died Owen had inherited the farm though, and his dreams of joining the CIS died that day. Anakin did not even make a motion towards Lars, his concentration was fully on Yoda, and he didn't care about some pathetic farmer whom he was associated with by tragic circumstances. 

"What gives you the right to set your dirty Imperial boots on my farm Skywalker!" 

Anakin admonished himself for letting this irrelevant moisture farmer get under his skin. He wasn't worth the attention. 

"Damn it! You scum, answer me!" Owen fired his blaster in the air in a testosterone-influenced display to show how serious he was. Anakin was now irritated enough to address his stepbrother's presence. 

"This doesn't involve you Lars. This is between me and the Jedi." 

Yoda told me all about you, about the Sith. About how you manipulated both sides of the war, letting billions upon billions be killed just so you could wield the same power you accuse the Jedi of coveting. The hypocrisy in your voice is about a subtle as a sandstorm!" 

Yoda looked right back at Anakin, radiating in the Force like a beacon of light in the darkness. Anakin began to focus, he could feel Yoda's intentions through the Force, and attacking was not something his adversary was planning to do. Anakin smiled inwardly with great viciousness as he turned his head toward Owen. Yoda's gaze broke, and turned somber. 

"Leave you must Owen Lars! Deal with Anakin I will!" 

"And let you handle the Sith the same way you handled the Clone Wars? Like Bantha fodder I will. Sith Lord or nothing you've got the count of three to start walking off my property before I blast you into pieces!" 

Yoda wanted to leap out, to use the Force to carry Owen away, to deflect Anakin's impending attack. But he could not risk it, he was needed alive, he had a job yet to do. Even if he could defeat Anakin and save Owen Lars he would prevent himself from accomplishing the great task the Force had given him. 

"One!" 

Anakin turned away from Yoda, standing motionless. There was a brief pause before Owen shouted again. 

"Two!" 

Now Anakin was beginning to lift one of his hands, creating a gesture that would have looked silly to the untrained observer. 

"Thr....!" 

Anakin clenched his fist before Owen could fire his blaster as the Force crushed his spine. He could feel the vertebrae individually crack and shatter under the pressure and suddenly all was black. His body lifted into the air as he died as Anakin toyed with him, and his body fell to the sand with a disgusting smack. 

"Now you are the one who is afraid Master Yoda, you couldn't even raise a hand to save that insignificant worm. Could it be you value your own life more than those you are sworn to protect?" 

"It is not fear that drives me young Skywalker. The Force is my ally, and a powerful ally it is. You would use it as an instrument of oppression and murder, rather than embrace it for what it truly is." 

"Well spoken for a fallen Master, only someone as foolish as a Jedi would treat that as the truth. The Force serves me now and I control it at whim. I no longer need fear myself, the Force has freed me from the chains imposed on me, because I shape it to my will." 

"Much to teach you Obi Wan still had." Yoda said with a vast regret. "Nevertheless, you are the victor. Wish to die I do not, surrender I do, so that the Jedi will live on." 

Anakin's jaw nearly dropped. Yoda was surrendering without putting up any kind of a fight? "I never would have guessed that the great Yoda would allow the Jedi to survive in chains, rather than die with their freedom. The Emperor was right about you, all of you." 

"My concern, that is not. All I ask, that the bloodshed stops, that I do." 

"Very well then. After all, my master prefers to possess rather than destroy. Your long lifespan will be to your detriment in my master's care." Anakin powered down his lightsaber, and raised his communicator. "Arc Troopers, I will be returning to the Gunship. As soon as we depart this planet have the Star Destroyer set course for Coruscant immediately. I have a very important prisoner for the Emperor." 

Yoda nodded his head and hung it low as he was placed in binders and watched by Skywalker the entire time. He knew Anakin would watch him like a hawkbat for the entire journey to Coruscant to prevent his escape. But escape was not in Yoda's plan. The only thing Yoda could do was meditate. To stay the course of his plan, and prepare himself for the inevitable penance he would have to suffer for his failures. 

"General Skywalker, the shuttle has arrived to take you and the Prisoner back to the Star Destroyer." 

"Excellent work Alpha, continue to follow all standing orders, have medical teams round up every slave on the planet and remove any and all slave collars and transmitters. Furthermore anyone on this planet claiming ownership of a slave will be placed under arrest...and be sure to demolish the Lars homestead, kill any survivors and witnesses." 

Yoda nearly turned on his captors when he heard Anakin give that last order. "A deal we had! Safe the people would remain!" 

"I no longer extend the courtesy of keeping my promises, to the Jedi Order that betrayed me." 

The shuttle departed for Coruscant. Anakin's fears had been replaced by the pride he felt within himself. Yoda was the last of the Jedi, and his victory was complete. Soon his ties to this planet would be nothing more than a distant memory and he could move on with his plans for the galaxy. But no matter how hard he tried the words of his mother flood his ears and his heart, adding sorrow to his anger, erasing the joy from his heart and renewing the darkness. Yoda was right, there was definitely a shadow over him, but not of greed, but of regret. 

You can't stop change any more than you can stop the suns from 
setting. Listen to your feelings; Annie, you know what's right. 

Anakin knew what was right, and soon the rest of the Galaxy, even Lord Sidious would as well. 



"Things just keep getting worse all the time." Obi Wan had thought while going through the latest news reports. The Empire had been instituted by Senate with an incredibly lopsided vote, but Obi Wan suspected that even some of the die-hard supporters would have sided against Palpatine if they had foreseen some of the consequences. Not more than a few hours after the Imperial Garrison on Tatooine was established the Empire had begun assisting local authorities is extermination campaigns against the Sand People, while many people selectively ignored this massacre in lieu of the new anti slavery laws instituted by General Skywalker, Obi Wan felt sick to his stomach that his former apprentice was now condemning an entire species to extinction. The Sand People were not alone however, on Naboo Gungans were being forced into internment camps after several Gungan demonstrators sparked Violence in the capital city of Theed, protesting the new planetary government's imposing of taxes. Both Geonosians and Wookies were being tried en masse as war criminals and being shuttled off to undisclosed locations to serve their sentences. 

He was tired of hiding; so far he had contributed almost nothing towards unseating Palpatine, or even anything to Alderaan's defense for that matter. Obi Wan had come to embrace Alderaan as a pacifist world, unafraid to defend their beliefs but unwilling to compromise them by taking up arms. In a perfect galaxy, Alderaan would be far untouched by the conflicts that the Clone Wars had brought about. Yoda had told him to allow the Force to guide his path, he was unsure if it was the Force or his own instincts that were taking him in the direction he was going, but he felt in his heart it was the right thing to do for both himself, and for the legacy of the Jedi. 

It was a short walk to the Capital Docking Bay; Obi Wan used his code clearance as General Ben Cody to gain access to the Shuttle bay. The hyperdrive ready fighter he had assumed on Utapau was still there, changed only in appearance with the colors of the Alderaanian Defense Force now painted on its Hull. Obi Wan climbed into the cockpit and took off. Using the integrated hyperdrive system he quickly plotted his course to Chandrila, to the Rebellion.



Chapter 9

"Meesa officially protest! Weesa Gungans no do anything wrong!" Jar Jar was almost screaming the words as the squad of white armored stormtroopers entered the Naboo consulate. 

"By orders of the Senate Mr. Binks." Came the reply in the all-familiar clone voice. "You are under arrest for crimes of sedition relating to the protests on Naboo." The Clonetroopers raised their DC-15 rifles, keeping a safe distance from the dim witted but exceptionally strong Gungan. 

"But meesa only try to get help in Senate forsa my people! Gungans not do anything against the law! Yousa speak to Boss Nass heesa clear everyting up!" Jar Jar was now backing around his modest desk within the consulate, just outside of the office used by Senator Amidala. 

"The Gungan leader has been convicted of Treason as well and has already been detained." More soldiers filled the hallway, bent on preventing any interference. 

Jar Jar's head scanned across the room from left to right. "Then meesa surrender! Meesa request to be taken for trial on Naboo!" 

"Since you are a Senator the jurisdiction belongs to the Federal Government, Senatorial Treason carries a minimum life sentence. An Imperial Tribunal has already convicted you in absence." 

"Meesa was never told about no trial!" Jar Jar started opening drawers, praying that a blaster, or perhaps a thermal detonator was somewhere nearby. He found nothing except for a small ceremonial blade given to him after the Battle of Naboo. Then the idea flashed in his head. "Wait! Messa want to talk to General Skywalker! Heesa close personal friend!" 

The clones paused, this situation had not been covered in the mission briefing. Suddenly, a holotransmitter began beeping on Jar Jar's desk, the beleaguered Gungan pressed the button, hoping for an explanation to this mess, or perhaps even a way out. The gnarled and robed visage of Emperor Palpatine. "Chance....errr...Emperor Palpyteen! Youssa can essplain to the...." 

Jar Jar's pleas were cut off as the Emperor turned to the Commander in the room. "Why haven't you dealt with him yet Commander?" 

"Your highness, the subject has not yet surrendered, we are proceeding with the arrest but the Senator has demanded to appeal to General Skywalker." The reply was emotionless, crisp, flawlessly worded. Jar Jar knew there was no escape out of this one. If only Qui Gon, Or Obi Wan, or Ani would come through that door and save him as they had so many times before. 

"Your orders come from me Commander, not from General Skywalker. Kill the Gungan and dispose of him and his effects." The transmission ended and Jar Jar's jaw dropped aghast. This time none of his friends would save him, not even Chancellor Palpatine, who had even admitted in private as much that he had owed Jar Jar a great deal for his support during the outbreak of the Clone Wars. The betrayal was one he had never expected, and as the stormtroopers raised their rifles to fire, he was beginning to wonder to himself if maybe he had been used... 


Mas Amedda sat in the spa in his apartment flanked by a pair of Twi'lek dancing girls whose services he had purchased the night before. Life was good, a lot better than it had ever been under Valorum, whose incessant attention to the rules of office were as stifling as his own personality. At first, he had thought Palpatine would be no different, but the good Chancellor had been quite lax in his regulation of certain rules of office. Including rules about the use of taxpayer funds to fund the lifestyles of high-ranking advisors. In fact, Palpatine himself had given his unspoken support for 'skimming the cream' so to speak, using the powers of his office and an excess of wartime funds to make incredibly opulent purchases. With the power and influence of the Chancellor's office and now the Emperor's throne behind him, the blue skinned Chagrian would be immune from prosecution for all time. To top all of that off, his position within the Empire had become even more important when he was named Grand Vizier of the Empire, much to the annoyance of his bureaucratic cohort Sate Pestage, Imperial Chief Auditor. Both men had competed for Palpatine's favor over the last ten years, and Mas Amedda had bested Pestage time and time again. 

So it came to his great surprise when Pestage, flanked by stormtroopers, burst into his residence armed to the teeth, rummaging through his belongings without permission. He hadn't even managed to get out of the spa and into his robes before they had already begun to carry away several expensive antiquities he had purchased, using public funds of course. 

"What is the meaning of this Pestage?" His voice boomed. "How dare you charge into the home of the Imperial Grand Vizier like that? You will answer to the Emperor for this I guarantee it!" 


Pestage's beady human eyes narrowed at the former Vice Chair and a nasty serpent's grin overcame his face. "The Emperor..." He snickered. "...has ordered this 'investigation' himself. Your office has been under scrutiny for some time. With the threat of the separatists isolated to the fringes of the galaxy we can now focus on more internal matters." 

"Lies." Mas Amedda spat. "This is just another one of your tricks to discredit me in front of his majesty. What else could it be?" Amedda stepped closer towards Pestage when a pair of stormtroopers immediately flanked Pestage, aiming holdout blasters in Amedda's face and warning him to step back. 

"If it was a lie, then how was I able to have soldiers assigned to me old friend? No, I'm afraid the Emperor has found you to be of little use to the New Order. Your time has come to an end." 

"Palpatine would be a fool to have me stand trial! I know enough to bring his entire government down around him! He should be begging me to keep quiet!" Amedda began waving his arms and baring his teeth in fury, causing the stormtroopers to step in front of Pestage and level their guns. Pestage held his hand in the air, keeping the clones from blocking his line of sight, laughing with that irritating rodent laugh he had always had. 

"A trial? You still don't quite get it do you Amedda? I'm not here as head Auditor, I'm here as the Grand Vizier of the Empire. Here to inform you of your impending execution." Pestage turned to the nearest clone trooper. "Kill him, kill the Twi'leks and any other potential witnesses." 

"Wait! Pestage it doesn't have to be this way, we can make a deal! You soldiers! I'll pay you, don't kill me! You're making a mistake, I'll give you a fortune!" 

Unfortunately for the former Vice Chair, the Kaminoans had made sure to instill a steep sense of loyalty into their creations. Not even the largest sum would sway one of their clones, from completing their mission. Mas Amedda continued to plead right up until he was shot to pieces. 


Within his chambers on Coruscant, a pair of red robed Royal guards carried away the lifeless corpse of Sly Moore on the orders of their master. With Sly Moore dead there were few non-humans left in Palpatine's inner circle, and none left that were not fully devoted to the new order. Moore had gone right to Palpatine's office upon hearing of Mas Amedda's death, along with several other Senator's he had courted personally during the Clone Wars. Now several of those same Senators had been bearing down on her as to why they were now being prosecuted by the government they themselves had propped up. Moore had gone to Palpatine asking for help, saving the Emperor's agents time in having to track her down. 

In order to defeat the Jedi, Emperor Palpatine had enacted Order 66. When issued, the Order direct all of the clone soldiers serving under Jedi Commanders to turn against the Jedi, and for all of the forces within the Grand Army of the Republic to seek out and destroy any Jedi they would come across. Order 67 had a different target, but a similar objective. With the Jedi defeated and his political enemies curtailed Palpatine was now the most powerful man in the galaxy, and no longer did he require many of the underlings who he had used to consolidate his power, wresting control away from the tangled non-functioning mess that was the Senate. Using his loyal forces, anyone who knew secrets, anyone who could be an asset to dissenting movements was now an enemy of the Empire. Only the truly loyal servants, those dedicated to the New Order and to the Emperor would be spared. It was those servants who carried out Order 67. 

From the view of his office high above Coruscant, Palpatine grinned as he felt his plans slowly moving forward through the Force. Those left from Valorum's old regime had finally been excised, bribed Senators who served no purpose were removed and killed now that the regional Governors were finally in place, and an old loose end from Naboo had finally been tied up as should have been done years ago. The days of the Senate were now numbered; once Tarkin's group finished the construction of the new battle station he would no longer need the Senate to act as his proxy. He would rule from the Death Star over every planet, and if his other plan continued to move along so smoothly, he would rule forever. 



The capital city of Chandrila, Hanna, had become a very paranoid place. As Mon Mothma continued to brazenly travel the line between speaking out against the government and outright treason. She had spent as little time on Coruscant as possible, and instead preferred to spend time on Chandrila, where she and several other like-minded senators began forming the foundations to their rebellion. 

She had counted on Bail Organa's help, despite being political opponents over the years they were of a common mind when it came to the tyranny of the Empire and she had hoped that he would agree that something had to be done. She was almost confident that if Bail had fully supported her and pressured Senator Bel Iblis more that he would have been inclined to join the cause, and bring with him soldiers and ships vital to fighting a rebellion. After their falling out, she had fully never expected to speak with him again, especially after cutting deals with Lot Dod, former envoy of the Trade Federation. 

So when a hyperspace capable fighter transmitting an Alderaanian IFF code, painted in the colors of the Alderaanian Defense Force, entered the system, there was cause for surprise. Ground Control has relayed the encrypted message from Alderaanian General "Ben Cody" and made sure that the Senator Mothma was informed. 

"I request an audience with Senator Mothma, there is a political situation on Alderaan I must discuss." 



Obi Wan finished transmitting his message, he drew on the Force to guide his words, attempting to intrigue the Chandrilans enough to at the very least entertain his message. As he grew adjusted to his current condition, he found that he could still feel the Force and draw on it. Wether he would do so as easily or as powerfully as he could before was in question, but there was no doubt in his mind anymore of whether or not the Force was still with him. 

It took a few complete orbits under close scrutiny from a trio of V-19 Torrent fighters, outdated by the V-Wing and reassigned to planetary defenses, before Obi Wan was granted landing clearance at the Hanna spaceport. Although the Belbullab-22 he was flying combined with his force-enhanced piloting skill was more than a match for the Chandrilan Navy, he was more than grateful to land without incident. 

Upon landing several members of the Chandrilan guard provided an armed escort, something that Obi Wan was becoming gradually used to no matter what. There was a lot of uncertainty these days, and even those who protested war felt much safer with a cadre of loyal weapons protecting them. Many of the guards were unnerved by Obi Wan's appearance, not that they knew who he was or who he had been, but the mechanical appearance of Ben Cody was unsettling, especially in a culture that frowned upon cybernetic enhancements such as that of the core worlds. 

They continued walking until entering a modest conference room with a long table, seated at the table were several figures Obi Wan could recognize as Galactic Senators. They were mostly former Loyalists who had supported the Republic after Geonosis who initially supported Palpatine but later confronted them as his power grew beyond that of his office. Chi Eekway, Terr Taneel, Fang Zar, Male Dee, and seated in between those four was none other than Mon Mothma herself. A human woman who radiated confidence and determination, a woman who would do whatever it took in order to accomplish her goals. Obi Wan was grateful that she was on the side of democracy, and not of the Empire. She was finishing a short speech when Obi Wan caught her attention. She had been briefed of his impending arrival and had decided that she would speak to this man personally, Obi Wan wasn't entirely sure why but he considered himself fortunate that she did so. 

"If you'll excuse me Senators I have to attend to a matter of business. Remember, we cannot allow our subgroups to know of one another. Their independence will be vital as we begin to grow in strength. Senator Dod has already delivered the first few cargoes and we can begin distributing the battle droids within a few weeks once our shipping infrastructure is up. I thank you all for your attendance." 

The Senators began to file out of the room, nervous at outsiders witnessing their acts of sedition but calmed by Mon Mothma's apparent indifference to the unknown visitor. Mon Mothma stood and faced Kenobi, unaware that she had met him before during his days as a Jedi Knight. 

"General...Cody is it? I find it very interesting that the supposed head of the Alderaanian Defense Force has arrived at this time, flying what appears to be a captured Confederate fighter. Tell me, what did Bail think he could accomplish by sending you?" She stood up, flicking a small switch that activated a holo recorder which allowed loyal security guards a view into the room. Obi Wan noticed, but said nothing, for it didn't matter. 

"I assure you Senator my timing was a coincidence, and that Senator Organa did not send me. This is a mission of my own accord." 

"Oh? What sort of mission would a member of a Planetary Defense Force have in an entirely different system? In a different sector no less." 

"It has come to my attention that you and Senator Organa have had a falling out over your decision to go ahead and begin planning a revolution." 

"I would expect a high ranking official from Alderaan to know that, that isn't anything new." 

"I've come to let you know that Alderaan is disarming, all of the weapons of the Alderaanian Defense Forces aside from what is necessary for the defense of Alderaan itself is being sent off into unknown space, abandoned aboard three ships that are destined to become vagabonds." 

Mon Mothma sat down again. Although this was in fact new information it did not come as a surprise, Bail had become a coward as of late and the majority of Alderaan was as pacifist as a population could be. Discarding their weapons would show the Empire how little of a threat they could be while at the same time pander to the whims of the pacifist elite. A shrewd move by Bail to stay in power she assumed. But then General Cody said something that caught her attention. 

"I have recalibrated the slave circuits aboard the three ships so that they will be abandoned in an uncharted system. I will give you the coordinates of this system on one condition." 

Mon Mothma placed her elbows on the table and clasped her hands, looking at this mysterious mechanized individual trying to read his motives. "What would that be General?" She asked. Obi Wan held out his left arm, a small compartment opened up from within it, and from it he removed a lightsaber. He clipped it to his belt and spoke. 

"Let me lead your Rebellion."



Chapter 10


Mon Mothma looked at the General, and activated another small button on her console and without warning a pair of Super Battle Droids emerged from hidden wall panels. An additional security measure installed by Lott Dod's technicians, the Battle Droids could be integrated into the walls and disguised as inner circuitry and sound proofing equipment. Obi Wan sensed the danger and had his lightsaber in his hand and ignited his blade, Obi Wan had never enjoyed war but something about his sapphire blue blade was reassuring to him and it helped him maintain his focus and control his altered feel for the Force. There were only two droids but that him pinned in the middle in an enclosed space, sooner or later they should manage to score a hit even if by luck. Obi Wan decided to end the conflict fast, calling on his telekinesis he hurled his blade with great speed perpendicular to the droid, the length of the blade managed to cut into the droids armor at the torso and the droid fell to the floor. In a split second Obi Wan turned and used the Force again, pushing the droid into the chamber it had emerged from and enveloping the Force around it, crushing it. Obi Wan turned again, expecting another attacker, only to see Mon Mothma calmly calling in for guards to come and remove the debris. 

"Is this how you treat all your guests?" He replied, his mechanical rhythmic breathing and synthesized voice making it sound as if he expended no effort. 

Mon Mothma smiled and clasped her hands. "Perhaps when I'm older and wiser I will fully regret this Master Jedi, but there aren't any Jedi left these days. So when an unknown being with a masked appearance starts wielding a lightsaber asking me to employ him in treason, I expect a little proof. Surely you understand?" 

Kenobi nodded simply to play nice. He didn't understand, he would never understand. If the people fighting the good fight in the galaxy began falling to the same levels of paranoia and anger of those oppressing them, then perhaps this wasn't a galaxy worth fighting for anymore. Obi Wan deactivated his saber and pushed that thought out of his mind. He would always be a Jedi, and even in these dark times he would stay true to the Jedi Code. 

"Hopefully you won't require any more...demonstrations." 

"This was suitably impressive, again I apologize, however I cannot afford to have to deal with charlatans at this stage. We're too vulnerable at the moment, even with the generous contributions of Senator Dod and those other Senators. Though I fear that the events we ourselves set into motion all those years ago have made the Senate irrelevant, eventually the Senate will be disbanded and we'll be forced out into the open lest we allow the Empire to maintain their grip on our liberties." 

There was something about Mon Mothma that struck Obi Wan as unquestionably genuine, something that made it past his general distrust of politicians. Before the war if he would have overheard a wealthy Senator speaking about concern for individual liberties he would have scoffed at it, the powerful and wealthy always had liberty. Perhaps that was why he came to Chandrila though, to find out whether or not the next war would be fought by patriots, or bankrolled by those who sought more power like the Separatists before them. Perhaps this had been a demonstration for Obi Wan also. 

"General Cody was it?" Mon Mothma asked. 

"An alias, there are certain figures in the Empire who believe I am dead at the moment and I would rather it stay that way." Obi Wan was not one for distorting the truth, but leaving out details as a way of keeping secrets had never offended him before. "For now Ben Cody will suffice." 

"I can't say that I blame you General Cody, Bail proved more shrewd than I thought. Even the Bothans who ran your background check for me were inclined to believe the files they managed to access." 

The two walked out of the room and into one of the grand foyers of the Chandrilan capital before stepping into a garden outside. 

"Jamming equipment and other anti surveillance devices in the foliage, it is safe here. General Cody before I put you in any kind of position within this organization, I need your total assurance that you can function with former Separatists, even people you might have fought against and that you will not object to using Droid forces in the upcoming conflict." 

"You have the word of a Jedi, which I would hope even in times like this would mean something." 

Mon Mothma smiled. "If you believe the news coming from Coruscant, then no, but then again I haven't believed anything Coruscant says for a while now." 

Mon Mothma turned and stepped away for a fe moments, looking up at the endless blue sky as if waiting for it to give her a response. Before long she turned to Obi Wan and smiled. 

"Welcome to the Rebel Alliance." 



Oovo IV had a reputation throughout the galaxy for two reasons. If one were to ask a member of the planetary board of tourism they would be most likely to discuss the championship podraces held. Because of the planet's low gravity, the races tend to be quite exciting as racers of different species compete for prizes and glory. However, if one were to ask one of the galaxy's less reputable denizens, you would learn of the fortresses that make up the planetary prison complex. 

One of several maximum-security detention facilities throughout the Republic, and one reserved for the most notorious of criminals. Rumored to be so tight with their security that not even a Hutt could operate on the inside, and Oovo IV did have the largest prison bloc in the Republic, although newer facilities were now under construction by the Empire in the Despayre and Kessel systems would dwarf Oovo eventually. Oovo for the time being was not only one of the largest prisons in use, but also held the distinction of having the most diverse number of specialized holding blocs in the galaxy. Hutts, Wookies, Quarren, and at one point in the prison's past it was used to hold Mandalorians. One wing in particular though was quite notable. The official name was Block TK421, unofficially it was known as "The Black Hole". 

The Hole, as was the term used between guards, was a specially designed cellblock for the most violent prisoners and lethal beings and rumor has it that Jedi Architects had designed it. It seemed little different from your standard maximum-security isolation wing, but this part of the facility had a long history of interring Force Users. For many years the Jedi had submitted force sensitive prisoners to justice and at several points in history they had become a problem on the inside as the Jedi managed to lock away more and more especially talented force users. Fallen Jedi who had killed in anger but spared mercy, Force Sensitive Non-Jedi attempting to gain power, even the occasional con artist who had a limited ability to read thoughts were deemed to dangerous for the general population. The entire wing was monitored only by non-combat droids (only guards were allowed weapons even before the threat of CIS droid armies), guards of species trained to resist the Force such as Toydarians, and personnel specially conditioned to resist Force techniques. 

In the years prior to the clone wars there had been very few prisoners who qualified for The Hole, in fact so few that the warden had considered moving more and more dangerous inmates into the unoccupied cells to keep the more violent inmates in check. Then the Clone Wars came, and Oovo IV once again held a prisoner strong in the Force. After an incident on the planet Devaron involving an assassinated Senator a Jedi Knight by the name of Aayla Secura had fought against the renowned Jedi Hunter Aurra Sing. Sing had been responsible for the murder of many Jedi, but Secura managed to defeat her and bring her to justice, justice that included a lengthy sentence in the prison on Oovo IV. Within her cell, she sat alone constantly plotting her escape. No materials were available to her to scavenge any sort of useful weapon, and even if she managed to escape into the hallway the passage would flood with a mixture of paralyzing gases before she could get far. 

The lights that lined the hallways fizzled slightly, every day during the local midnight (1500 hours Coruscant Standard) the power would sputter only slightly as the guards began their prison wide deep scan of the entire facility. At this time of night, it was most efficient to use the power hungry equipment used to ensure the status of every inmate, but for Aurra it was the only way she had of keeping track of the days. Her meals were brought to her with irregularity so that she could not plan an escape around a certain time. She looked up at the light; sometimes the soft glow was the only thing that kept her from truly going mad. Fenn Booda, the warden, had promised her preferential treatment in exchange for information regarding the Separatists. But by the time Booda had got around to qny interrogation the war was already in it's twilight hours following the death of Count Dooku. The Republic had little need for information on the whereabouts of a man who had just become a fresh corpse. 

Minutes later, the lights flickered again. Aurra looked up, thinking to herself of how odd that was. It had been the first break in the monotony of her sentence. Even something as trivial as that was cause for consideration as the lights flickered again. Aurra's senses spoke to her, telling her that something was actually amiss. A normal person would have simply guessed something was wrong with the lights, but a normal person didn't have the insights of the Force to aid them. Moments later, the faint sounds of blasterfire could be heard down the hall. Whatever was going on it was happening just down the long corridor on the side of the large blast doors and through the gauntlet of energy barriers that sealed it. Suddenly the barriers themselves began to flicker, until they fully dissipated. Now the only thing that separated Aurra Sing from freedom, and whatever was taking place in the prison, was a half meter thick slab of transparisteel with a blast resistant transparisteel door. She could see fine, but was still restrained. In desperation she applied the Force to the door, pressing all of her weight against it. During her training as a youngling in the Jedi Temple every one of the teachers tried to impress in the students that size did not matter. Obviously none of them had ever actually compared lifting pebbles to knocking down a prison cell door. She bore down with everything she had, her body straining as more energy flowed through her. Her hatred of the Jedi fueled her, hatred towards the Dark Woman, and that Twi'lek that had imprisoned her in the Hole. If the clone wars hadn't yet claimed them, then she would. 

The joints on the door finally began to give way, and Aurra pressed harder. But the pain was too great even with her added rage fueling her strength and she collapsed, but not before she managed to break several parts of the doors internal security mechanisms. Aurra cursed at herself, her failure would be her undoing. Within seconds the gas mix would begin flowing, and she was still trapped in her cell. She tore a shred off of her sleeve and put it to her mouth, hoping to delay the poisons as much as possible while using the Force to create any kind of resistance she could. Smoke began to fill the room, but through the haze Aurra could make out a pair of red lights, possibly guardsmen coming to secure her cell. But the lights looked wrong, they were too long and narrow; they almost looked like lightsaber blades. Aurra nearly burst out laughing when she thought that, and she wasn't sure if the gas was entirely responsible for that. But the lights drew closer and suddenly Aurra realized that they could be nothing other than lightsabers, twin blades with a crimson hue just as her blade had been. 

She couldn't entirely recognize the bald woman who held the blades, but she recognized the look of a predator when she saw it. Fierce eyes narrowed in a determined gaze, a stance indicating that she was ready to strike down anyone who appeared hostile. From the darkness seeping from her it was obvious she wasn't a Jedi. Aurra wondered if she had come to kill her, perhaps seeking vengeance of a master she had killed long before. The irony was not lost on her as she tried to stand and face this new threat. But the bald woman did not approach her, instead she reached into a pocket and produced a small rebreather, Aurra recognized it as something a Jedi might carry on a mission in an inhospitable environement. Aurra didn't hesitate to ask, she lunged for it and put it in her mouth and breathed a sigh of sweet oxygen into her lungs as the rebreather's filters removed the toxins from the air around her. The captor switched off one of her lightsabers and tossed the deactivated hilt over to Aurra as well. Through the Force she spoke. 

"Aurra Sing I presume. Don't even try and double cross me, I have gone to great expense to get you out of here but I will not be killed as easily like those Jedi Sheep. Understand?" 

Aurra nodded and returned the favor. "The same goes for you...whoever you are." 

Even with the rebreather in her mouth the predator smiled. "The name is Asajj Ventress, and we have much to discuss." 

The Dark Jedi Femme Fatales worked together, methodically carving their way through the prison as the guards fought valiantly to contain them while at the same time quelling the near riot that was brewing in the cells. They managed to battle their way out of the prison itself and into one of the nearby facilities which accomodated the prison shuttles and escort starfighters. Aurra was about to break for a grounded V-Wing fighter, but Ventress waved her off. 

"You'll never make it out of the atmosphere, they've rigged every Shuttle to explode by remote in case of a breakout." 

Aurra turned and angrily replied. "Do you have any other kriffing way off of this rock?" 

At that moment a contingent of Stormtroopers burst into the room spraying suppressive automatic fire, forcing the two women behind cover. From her crouched position behind a starfighter, Ventress shouted, "I've made arrangements, but we have to hurry before its discovered. Combining their force talents, and taking advantage of the low gravity of Oovo they lifted a fighter from the ground and literally tossed it, scattering the pursuing clones across the hangar bay. Again drawing upon the Force they fled from the hangar at great speed to an outdoor landing bay where Aurra saw an incredibly odd looking fighter just touching down and landing, one she could only recognize from accounts and descriptions. Distinctively Geonosian in design, but different from the narrow starfighters that had become familiar to people watching holographic accounts of the war, this was none other than the sloop used by Count Dooku himself. How did this woman obtain it? It didn't matter to Aurra, as she and her benefactor climbed into the craft and settled in near the FA-4 pilot droid, who launched as soon as they were aboard. Fighters were scrambled, but not in time as the sloop deployed its unique solar sail and vanished into hyperspace. 



The shuttle carrying Anakin and Yoda traveled right for the very airbase where Anakin had landed the crippled CIS flagship Invisible Hand, their route took them near the former site of the Jedi Temple, which was now a cordoned off area of wreckage monitored by Stormtroopers who sifted through every bit of wreckage by hand. The Emperor had ordered the thorough destruction of everything, and the ruins had to be searched lest anything managed to survive. Yoda resisted the urge to see the rubble that had been his home for hundreds of years. Throughout the entire journey Anakin had said nothing, not even the boasting Yoda would have expected in this situation. Yoda hadn't said anything either, as he readied his mind for the trial to come. As they began their final approach though Anakin did speak. 

"Have you ever heard of the tragedy of 'Darth Plageuis the Wise' Master Yoda?" Anakin asked, with an emotionless but hardened gaze unlike his former self. 

"Unfamiliar with it I am." 

"I thought you might say that, it is the story of a powerful Sith Lord who gained the ability to influence life itself, so that he could save people from dying." 

Anakin turned to Yoda, looking down at the shackled Jedi. "He was stronger than death, he could keep people from dying. Soon I will be as well." 

Yoda finally began making the connections, and began developing a picture of how Anakin Skywalker had been corrupted. The premonitions Anakin had asked about after the Battle of Coruscant, the almost brazen desire for power Anakin had displayed during those final days after being appointed to the council, and the revelation to the galaxy that Padme Amidala, now Padme Amidala Skywalker, was pregnant. All this time the Chosen One had been living a double life, one of selflessness and one of attachment. A stronger recipe for the Dark Side there wasn't, a Jedi of great skill bound and determined to protect the ones they loved at all costs. Yoda had seen it before, for some Jedi, the price of turning to the Dark Side was nothing compared to protecting their loved ones or seeking out vengeance. 

"Promised you were, this power, by Palpatine were you?" 

Anakin finally faced Yoda, scowling. "Whenever I looked to the Jedi teachings for answers all I received were more questions. My master gave me answers, not just how to save people from death, but how to restore order to this galaxy the Jedi have coddled for so long." 

Yoda had no intention of debating philosophy with Anakin at this point. "Nothing I can say to you there is, that would convince you, of turning from this path." 

"Tell me, do the Jedi have a way of conquering death?" 

"A way all Jedi have, There is no death, there is only the Force." 

Anakin slammed his metallic fist against the wall of the craft with a loud bang against the metal. There were many things he wanted to shout at the top of his lungs. He regained his composure, and with an icy stare directly at Yoda he spoke. "For your sake, you had better cling to your teachings as hard as you can when you have this discussion with my Master." Anakin ended his sentence just as the shuttle touched down on the duracrete landing pad, and as they stepped out of the shuttle, Yoda took a long look at the sky, hoping that it wouldn't be too long before he saw it again.



Chapter 11


"Your highness, General Cody is nowhere to be found." came the almost nervous voice from the other end of the comlink. 

Bail shook his head, almost dumbstruck at Obi Wan's departure. "Have you checked the hangar? He did say he was going to inspect the maintenance on his fighter last I spoke to him." 

A short pause followed by an even more jittery reply. "General Cody checked out his fighter and left the hangar some time last night." There was another short pause. "Planetary sensor logs show a craft matching his specifications exiting into hyperspace sometime in the early morning hours." 

Bail hung his head, Its not that he needed Obi Wan to be present at the Another Chance ceremony, but the strict pacifist bloc in the planetary government would have appreciated it if the head of Planetary defense, a man they had barely even heard of, would have been present to mark the occasion. To them this represented the Defense Force's disgust at not being a fully-fledged military in their own right. With the Another Chance taking off with most of Alderaan's weapons the Defense Forces were being reduced into spaceport security and planetary shield operation. Even monitoring of the planetary system was being transferred to civilian control. While Bail had approved of many of these reforms he did not entirely approve of the timing. The pacifists were counting on the Empire to provide much of their planet's security, but tat the same time growing more vocal against the Empire's policies. It was these kinds of situations when all else failed that required the wisdom of a Jedi Master, but wherever Obi Wan was he obviously did not want to be found. 


Obi Wan found himself in the middle of a conflict once again, only this time he was playing the role of revolutionary. The current flagship for what compromised the Rebel Fleet was one of the few remaining Providence-class cruisers. Obi Wan was given overall command of the ship and its contingent of soldiers and battle droids. He had not been aboard for even a day before briefing mission commanders about their first mission. 

"In two days the Another Chance, along with her three escort ships, will depart the Alderaan System at approximately 1900 hours Galactic Standard. The first jump is largely ceremonial, a short micro jump out of the planet's system close enough to the planet for everyone to get a suitable view from the skyhook stations. However the real jump will occur...here, at Dantooine." 

Obi Wan, in his guise as General Cody, was addressing several key political and military leaders of the newfound Rebellion. He stood next to a detailed holographic display charting the path at The Alderaanain War Frigate and its escorts were going to take to unexplored space, along with their cache of weapons. 

"As most of you know the Republic and Separatists held a major battle there, but since the end of that conflict and the occupation of Muunilist afterwards there has been little reason for the Empire to stage anything out of Dantooine, Alderaan selected Dantooine as the secondary jump point due to its proximity to the outer rim, and beyond it the edge of the galaxy itself where the ships would be doomed to the obscurity of empty space. Rather than destroy this equipment, the ships have all been outfitted with remote recall transmitters on the remote chance that the equipment is ever needed once again. One of the few concessions Bail Organa was able to coax from the hardliner pacifists." 

From the seating area, a hand came up, a Gotal whose rank insignia indicated he had served in an officer's position with the Separatists. "Alderaan is a loyal Imperial planet, what makes you so sure they haven't supplied the Imperials with the same information and that they won't be doing the same thing?" 

"A good question," Obi Wan could feel the Gotal's senses attempting to reveal anything they could about him. Gotals were known for their ability to read emotions and discern truth, and a man such as Obi Wan hidden beneath a mask and synthesized voice was difficult enough to begin with. "Alderaan is currently loyal, but they would prefer that the weapons be handed over to no one at all, even the Empire, and a small number of ships like this is not enough for the Imperial Fleet to care about anyway while they keep building Star Destroyers." 

The Gotal nodded his head and accepted Obi Wan's explanation, which made an excellent impression on these men. He had chosen for the time being to keep his lightsaber concealed for now and from the looks of things he felt he had made the right choice. Mon Mothma, after failing to gain support from those she had aligned herself with during the Clone War, had recruited a considerable amount of Ex Separatists to fight against the Empire. Obi Wan now understood the frustrations Bail had felt, but accepted them for the time being. These were not the Separatists he had fought against such as Count Dooku, but rather the soldiers that truly believed that they had to fight for their freedom from the Republic. Obi Wan had fought hard to prove to preserve the side he thought represented freedom and triumphed, but was horrified later on when he found out he had been fighting and advancing the cause of the Sith. Silently he thought to his self, "Now the true patriots of the galaxy are aligned. There won't be anymore confusion as to which side I should be battling." Obi Wan continued the briefing, making sure to let the people serving below him have a chance to give their input, and after a few hours they had their plan hammered out. 

Upon entering the system the Another Chance was to make a computer controlled hyperspace jump towards the spiral arms, where that final jump would be was up to the navigational computer. In order to further the secrecy of the ships' location the hyperspace jump would be partially programmed by a randomizing factor in the computer, which would then be double-checked with star charts to ensure safety. The process would take no less than fifteen minutes, but no longer than thirty. Obi Wan's task force would jump into the system and a shuttlecraft would immediately head over to the Another Chance and begin altering the coordinates in the navigational computer. As that part of the mission was underway a Lucrehulk-class Droid Control Ship would begin deploying droid fighters and keep a close watch, especially on the hyperspace vectors coming from Muunilist. They didn't expect any trouble, but in these days expectations were a liability as much as anything else. 

Just as he was leaving the briefing room, a battle droid walked up to Obi Wan, Obi Wan almost instictively went for his lightsaber but managed to restrain himself. "Sir," the droid said, in a mechanical tone not much unlike his own. "New Intelligence from Oovo IV." Obi Wan read over the reports, much more detailed versions of what had managed to make the heavily censored holonet news broadcasts. A dark feeling grew in his stomach as he read the details... 



Within his chambers on Coruscant, Darth Sidious examined a short list of names, short yet infamous to those who fought on the side of the Republic. Sev'rance Tann, Sora Bulq, Quinlan Vos, Tol Skorr, and Kadrian Sey just to name a few. Darth Tyranus, though merely the Apprentice in the Order of the Sith, utilized a number of Dark Side adepts to further the chaos in the galaxy. These apprentices, powerful as they were, were nothing but disposable pawns. Sidious knew that if any of these dark adepts had been allowed to survive they would pose as much of a threat as any Jedi to the power of the New Order. 

Dooku had done a terrible job of cleaning up after his mess, and if it wasn't for significant infighting between that group some of them may have been able to escape. Sidious' eyes narrowed as he opened two data files on two particular subjects. Asajj Ventress and Aurra Sing, the only two of the names on the list that were not confirmed dead. If Dooku were still alive Sidious would have killed him for his incompetence in failing to deal with them. But soon it would make no difference, the last of Dooku's pawns and the only remaining being who knew of Darth Sidious' existence within the Separatist hierarchy would soon be dead, and in such a way that would finally turn Lord Vader fully to the Dark Side. 

Sidious rose to enact his plans when a ringing sound began playing from his console, indicating a message on his private channel. It was Vader, fresh from his mission on Tatooine, Sidious used the Force and activated the holoprojector. In the background behind him, a variety of military craft were coming and going, meaning that Anakin was still at the spaceport. 

"General Skywalker," security was not absolute on the other end of the terminal. "I am pleased by the reports of your success." 

"Master, my success was far greater than we could have hoped for. After destroying Jabba the Hutt I managed to take a prisoner of great value, you will be most pleased." 

Sidious maintained a calm demeanor, but within his mind he cackled, the news he had been awaiting was finally about to be delivered. The image shifted towards a shackled Yoda, who was currently facing the ground as a trio of clone troopers trained their blasters on him.

"He surrendered without a fight Master, he is broke as is the Jedi Order." Anakin's voice was full of anger, which pleased Sidious greatly. Dooku would have been filled with a false pride at this capture, while Anakin was able to focus his hate. The hate would make him powerful, and when he finally learned to embrace his anger he would grow even more powerful. Sidious looked at the Jedi Master whom he had defeated in the Senate Chambers and began laughing, the schemes and designs in his mind replaced with thoughts of the incredible pain he would inflict on his nemesis. For years he had been cold and methodical in enacting his vengeance, in the last days of the Republic though the Dark Side had called to him, clamoring for pain and suffering, calling on Sidious to fuel the blackness of his heart and revel in it. 

"Do not delay General, have him turned over to my guardsmen and personally escort him to my office. I will deal with him from there." 

"Yes my master." 

Sidious turned from the projector and let out a maniacal laugh as he summoned his guards to him, deep within the underbelly of Coruscant, where Sifo Dyas and Jedi before him had been made to suffer. So too would Yoda, and once he was secured Sidious would send Skywalker to erase Count Dooku's failure from the galaxy once and for all. 



Padme rested; sitting upright with her children nestled in her arms as a droid servant brought in a holoprojector. 

"A transmission from General Skywalker my lady." the droid said. 

Padme's eyes lit up, though the smile and warmth that she used to wear when seeing Anakin no longer came to her, she still desperately wanted to see him. Ever since the children had been born he had been away from her, being sent around the galaxy in the name of this New Order. The doctors had promised her that soon she would be able to take the children and return home, and not a moment too soon. 

"Padme..." Anakin was obviously lost for words, as she looked upon his face she could see the weight of the universe piling on his shoulders. The darkness that had covered his face on Mustafar was still there, and the light she felt in his heart was fading. But she could still feel it, there wasn't anyone else that could save him right now, it was her duty to try, both as his wife and as the mother to her children. 

"Ani, I miss you." 

"I have missed you too, I am due for a meeting with Emperor Palpatine in but a few moments, when that is done I promise I will come to your side." 

Padme felt tears well up in her eyes. "You will? Is that a promise?" 

Anakin nodded. "It is, and I will stay by your side, and with our children, for a long rest." Anakin took a breath, the darkness within him was pushed back slightly. "I'm tired Padme, I'm sorry..." 

"Don't be sorry Anakin, the doctors say I'll be able to go home soon, then we can all go to Naboo." 

"I have responsibilities here." Anakin's excuse sounded weak, as if even he didn't believe it. 

"You haven't stopped fighting ever since Geonosis, Ani no one can fight forever even if they're fighting for what they believe in." 

Anakin looked shaken, his robotic hand opened and closed almost uncontrollably. Finally, his head turned, as he tended to do whenever he felt ashamed. "I will see you soon my love." The transmission ended as he turned away. As soon as it did Luke began crying, a soft gentle cry that subsided slightly as Padme pulled him closer to her. Leia cuddled up against her closer as well. Not long afterwards the twins fell asleep, and Padme began to wonder about the future. 



"Dooku was always fond of this ship." Ventress mused out loud as her fingers caressed over the exterior of Dooku's Solar Sail vessel. "Even though he had been a Jedi for so many years, he had never been able to escape the pompousness associated with aristocracy. He cherished his possessions, almost as much as he cherished himself. It's no wonder he chose to forsake the Jedi." As Aurra Sing watched Ventress looked up, almost wistfully, at the roof of the large cave she now called home. 

They had fled to Bpfassh, not far from where Ventress finally escaped for good at Xagobah. The wrecked fanblade fighter from that incident was not far off although it was largely in pieces. It was in this small out of the way area that Dooku and Ventress had established a small hidden enclave for themselves and Dooku's other disciples as the Clone Wars raged on, by keeping this outpost secret they had a place to fall back to when times were tough, or to hide away prisoners when no other place would do. Bpfassh was also ideal because few Jedi had dared to travel there after a group of Jedi fell to the dark side and used it as a staging ground, which led to a large distrust of the Jedi byt he planet's natives. 

"Dooku was a narcissist, I gathered as much, so what does this have to do with me?" Aurra Sing gritted her teeth and kept her hand close to the lightsaber Ventress had given her on Oovo. She had never liked taking orders when money wasn't at stake and she had never liked being out of control of the situation, currently Aurra was neither in control or in position to profit. 

"It has everything and nothing to do with you Aurra Sing. Have you heard of what has become of the Jedi order from your prison cell?" 

Aurra's voice became louder as she grew impatient. "I was stuck in that hole! How was I supposed to hear anything!" 

If the aggressive posture Aurra was taking bothered Ventress, Asajj didn't let on. "Then you might be pleased to know that the Jedi have been all but wiped out." 

Shock exploded across Aurra's face. She had never thought it possible, she could grasp the deaths of many Jedi, and select master son the council, but the entire Jedi Order being wiped out was nothing short of impossibility to her. She was only able to stammer out one word. "How?" 

"Apparently our Jedi friends turned on the beloved Chancellor Palpatine shortly after he declared himself Emperor, the Jedi were wiped out by the clone army, and one of their own. The famed General Skywalker. Now that Aurra Sing, is where you come into play. " 

Aurra was losing control of the situation again just as she had begun to assert herself. In all of her experiences with the Jedi she had never faced Skywalker before, how was it then that Ventress was connecting her to him then?" 

"Shortly after my last battle with Skywalker and Kenobi, " As Ventress spoke the name of Anakin's mentor she became filled with anger, so much that Aurra could feel it through the Force. "I came here and I was done fighting. Count Dooku had betrayed me on Boz Pity and I wanted nothing more to do with him. I took his Solar Sailer and came here, when I heard over the holonet that he had been killed I managed to assume several small hidden fortunes of his and I was on the verge of living in deep obscurity for the rest of my days. Until recently, when my true master contacted me." 

"Your true master?" Aurra asked. 

"Dooku was a brilliant strategist and powerful warrior, but even he lacked the power and desire to conquer the galaxy. My true master, the true Dark Lord of the Sith, is the one responsible for the Separatists, for the Empire, for the entire Clone Wars. Only a few days ago did he contact me. He told me that if I could kill Skywalker then the Jedi would be extinct and that I would be able to take my rightful place as a Sith." 

Aurra tensed at the mention of the Sith. Even though she had embraced the Dark Side, she had made it point to avoid the Sith if she and they ever crossed paths. The Sith were all about power and control, and Aurra did not like the idea of being dominated. 

Ventress continued. "I was ashamed to tell Lord Sidious that I was unable to defeat Skywalker, that his powers were beyond mine. But it did not take him long to provide me with your location and your imprisonment status. HE told me that Skywalker must be eliminated and that you would be of great assistance in this matter." 

Ventress walked towards Aurra Sing and ignited her lightsaber blade; Aurra activated hers and matched Ventress strike. As the two locked blades and exchanged vicious glances at each other Ventress smiled. 

"He was right, you do have a hunter's instinct." Ventress disengaged her blade and propelled herself backwards with the Force, smiling. "With your help, and with the Dark Side of the Force. You and I will kill Anakin Skywalker and the Jedi will be extinct for all time!" 

Aurra had never taken on a job for free, but she was drawn into this now. Not only did she owe Ventress, but also the opportunity she was being presented with was too great to pass up. She had sensed no deception from Ventress in the Force, and her hatred of the Jedi was as strong as it had ever been after Aayla Secura's lucky victory. 

Ventress clipped the hilt of her blade to her belt. "Will you help me?" 

Aurra did the same, and after a brief pause she met Ventress gaze with ice- cold eyes. "I will."


Chapter 12


Obi Wan entered through the doors and received an enthusiastic salute from his crew. Dealing with the escaped Dark Jedi would have to wait indefinitely, Obi Wan was tempted to take his ship and hunt down Ventress and Sing, but there were far more urgent matters he needed to attend to. He only had a few scant hours to go over his command ship and review the strength of his task force. It was a motley assortment than what he was used to. His own flagship would be the Providence-class ship known as the Battlehymn. The ship was one of the last to make it out of the Separatist Shipyards and it pleased Obi Wan that he was commanding a vessel that wasn't tainted with the blood of his former comrades. Accompanying him was the Droid Control Ship Master Control, The Corellian Corvette Slashcat, and a pair of Carrack class cruisers with gaudy paint jobs that looked as if they were second hand pirate vessels. The only thing about this force that had Obi Wan worried was the lack of heavy guns. But the nature of this mission was such that if they did come into combat the last thing they would want to be doing is sticking around for a fight, and if everything did go according to plan then they would be leaving with nine instead of five ships. 

One of the men, dressed like infantry and carrying a very large sidearm at his hip, charged up to Obi Wan. At first it appeared as if the man was looking for a fight, but through the Force Obi Wan could tell this man's actions weren't hostile. 

"Hey!" The man yelled, obviously showing a great disregard for rank. "C'mere let's talk." He put his arm around Obi Wan's shoulder in a manner that directed the two back out of the bridge and into the corridor. 

"Is there something I can do for you..." Obi Wan asked, looking for any sort of insignia to identify the man. 

"Typical higher ups, you don't even know who's serving under you! If you didn't have that lightsaber clipped to your belt I'd be seriously thinking about cracking your metal skull! I'm the captain of this here rig, Captain Slayke at your service." 

The name rang a bell in Obi Wan's head, a briefing from several months ago shortly after returning from a solo assignment he'd been given by the council. While he had been gone Anakin had attained his Knighthood by assisting Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon in defeating the Droid Armies on Praesitlyn. One of the items in that briefing involved a Captain Slayke who was the leader of a Pro-Republic militia that had bravely fought against the Separatists. 

"Slayke? Zozridor Slayke?" Obi Wan asked. 

"My reputation precedes me yet again!" Slayke boasted as he performed a heroic pose made more in jest than arrogance. Listen, I know you Jedi can be stiffs but I just wanted to let you know that'll fight for you as hard as I can, and the crew aboard this ship is going to do the same, not like what those bastard clones did to Nejaa." 

During the Battle of Praesitlyn Zozridor Slayke's forces were decimated, over 80 percent of his fighting force had been destroyed, and what little was left afterwards was incapable of any significant fighting anywhere in the War. Obi Wan remembered how Master Halcyon had been granted command over a clone army that was involved in heavy fighting on the Aqualish home world of Ando, where the Aqualish had been constructing several droid foundries that if functional would have flooded the Core Worlds with droid armies. Knowing he would need every soldier he could get, Halcyon incorporated Slayke's forces into his own and the Clone Army was able to crush all resistance. 

"I don't what it was that happened, but it was late at night back at the encampment. Nejaa was holding court in the prefab mess hall telling stories of how he and his friend Rostek used to bust pirates in the Corellian sector. I wasn't there myself," Slayke gritted his teeth and looked down as if trying to force the painful memory out of his mind. "I was over at the hangar where we had been landing the shuttles. But one of my men came running over to me that night. Apparently an entire legion of clones burst into the mess hall, blasters firing. They didn't stop until Nejaa and all of my men were little more than shredded sacks of meat. Then the rest of my men were attacked, and about twenty of us managed to escape on the Plooroid Balkin." 

Obi Wan put his hand on Slayke's shoulder. He vividly remembered the attempt on his life at Utapau, and the battles in the Jedi Temple at Coruscant. Slayke went on further to explain how he had later found out of the Imperial cover up. Halcyon's death was blamed on an Anzati Assassin while his forces had been accused of treason. Slayke himself was now a fugitive, and Imperial Moffs had placed a bounty of over ten thousand credits on his head. Obi Wan could sympathize, both of these men had pledged their lives to cause that deceived and betrayed them, nearly taking their lives in the process. 

"Captain Slayke, there's nothing you could have done. I assure you that I would want nobody else at the helm of this ship right now. Master Halcyon was proud to serve with you." 

Slayke seemed overwhelmed for a moment, and then his expression changed immediately as he regained his composure. "Hah! Never though I'd have to have a Jedi stiff cheer me up! You're all right, just remember that we're all counting on you for this mission though." 

Obi Wan nodded, then considered a question. "Captain Slayke..." 

"You have orders for me already? If I had know that I would have..." 

"No, no, I don't have any orders Captain." Obi Wan assured him. "I just wanted to ask you what it was like serving with Anakin Skywalker on Praesitlyn." 

Slayke grumbled for a moment. "I should have busted his jaw when I had the chance, he was a great soldier and a smart kid, but after what he's done to my Republic I owe him a good beating. I'll bet underneath that calm Jedi facade you have going on you'd like to give him a good pounding too eh?" 

Obi Wan sighed, but his respirator didn't catch the sound. "More than you could possibly know." 

Both men headed back to the bridge, where Obi Wan would begin the official mission countdown and finalize his battle plans with the captains of his task force. 



The Crimson Guardsmen along with Anakin took their prisoner along the prescribed route through 500 Imperial. To the discreet elevator that led down below the works, and into the lair of the Sith were Darth Sidious awaited. 

"Master Yoda, we meet again." Sidious cackled, but Yoda did not even bother to reply, or meet his gaze. "Did you think you could hide forever? Until that excruciatingly long lifespan of yours ended?" Sidious drew closer to Yoda, and motioned to his guards to take him into the next room. The stench of death flooded Yoda's nostrils and even Anakin was taken aback. 

"This room has seen the death of many a Jedi Master Yoda. Taken right off the streets of Coruscant itself, but never a Master of your own stature. Lord Vader, bind him to the chair." 

Anakin looked over at his Master and nodded his head, Yoda shut his eyes as Anakin picked him up from the ground and slammed him onto the durasteel table, which still had the dried blood of Sifo Dyas on it. Yoda was then shackled to the chair, and he resisted against his bindings to test their strength. Nothing he couldn't break out of with the Force at his side. 

"Don't let the shackles fool you Master Yoda, I have a far more permanent way of ensuring your subjugation. Guards, leave us." 

The Crimsons guards left the room, now it was only the two Sith and their prisoner. Yoda was beside himself with shock, Palpatine trusted Skywalker with absolute certainty now. Sidious raised his hands and the familiar sound of his Force lightning scorched the air a split second before connecting with Yoda, Yoda bit into his lip and resisted 

"You see my apprentice, the manifest rage of the Dark Side is more than just an instrument of murder. Can you feel it now? Train your thoughts on Yoda." 

Sidious attacked Yoda again and Anakin could sense Yoda's presence slipping away. But despite the enormous pain that was obviously being inflicted. Yoda was not dead, or even unconscious. The Dark Side called out to Palpatine as he intensified his attack, craving the suffering and pain and imposing those cravings onto the Dark Master. For years Palpatine had enacted the Revenge of the Sith through quiet manipulations and strategic maneuvering. When the time had finally come to destroy the Jedi the bulk of the work had been quick, efficient, thorough, and undeniably effective. But that effectiveness had done little to satisfy the craving for vengeance that ached in Palpatine's black heart. In order to satisfy the hunger for pain within him, he was willing to keep Yoda alive as his prisoner, so that he would never again know another day without suffering. 

"You are keeping him alive somehow. You're doing more than just attacking him." Anakin interjected 

"Good, Good Lord Vader, you are realizing to nature of the power that I promised. Only with the strength of the Dark Side is one able to influence the life force of a being. To prevent them from dying." 

Sidious blasted Yoda again, as he used his lightning Anakin could sense the different powers at work. The incarnate anger was focused into lightning, and brutally attack Yoda's body. The other power, which Anakin could tell was taking up much more of his concentration, was in forcing Yoda's cells to resist the attack. Leaving no damage to the body but causing an immeasurable amount of pain. Sidious continued this in various bursts for nearly a half an hour. With each second that passed Yoda screamed, his resolve wavered and he nearly screamed out to beg for mercy. Before he could, Palpatine stopped. 

Sidious walked over to the table where Yoda desperately inhaled air into his lungs, the taste of each breath was noxious and foul but nevertheless it fueled him. Sidious stood next to Yoda and placed his hands over his body. 

"Now Lord Vader, watch as I show you the only way to break a Jedi. By taking from him the very thing that justifies his existence!" 

Yoda was in too much pain to fight back but if he knew what Palpatine was about to do he would have tried, and if he had known what kind of unspeakable tortures the Emperor had in mind for him he may not have gone along with Qui Gon's plan after all. 

Palpatine stood over Yoda, and slowly but surely began severing his connection to the force. 

"The ability to cut off the Force to another was a Jedi technique from long ago." Palpatine explained to Anakin with a strained voice. "It was abandoned because the effects were not entirely permanent, if the subject is powerful enough they may be able to once again feel the Force with retraining." 

Palpatine was visibly taxing himself as the glowing essence of Yoda rose from his body and dissipated slowly into the air. Inside his body, the midichlorians, the small organisms that were an indicator of a being's force potential, died as their conduit to the Force was cut off. The pain of the Sith Lightning had been sharp and brutal; this was a much different ache, a solemn dull pain that was robbing Yoda's powers. Palpatine didn't seem to be faring much better, but he knew that in order to safely imprison Yoda, it must be done. Yoda opened his eyes and watched, as Anakin stood there, unmoving and silent. Learning from his new Master's teachings. After another few moments, Sidious stopped his attack. Yoda could feel that a part of his strength had been taken away from him, but not completely. Yoda mustered what part of the Force he could and placed himself into a healing trance as Darth Sidious turned to his apprentice, weary but unharmed. 

"The process is incomplete for now Lord Vader," Sidious said to his apprentice. But it is of no concern, I will continue again tomorrow. I do hope you have learned something from this." 

"I have my master, I will contemplate this further tonight." 

"Remember though Lord Vader, pain is not the only weapon of the Sith. The dark side is fed by anger, passion, suffering, and fear. Of those three things perhaps the most important one to cultivate is fear." 

"But Master, A true Sith has no fear." 

"It is the fear of others, your opponents, your enemies, those that are weaker than you. That is the fear you must take control of. It is where many apprentices have failed, but where you will succeed Lord Vader. The Sith are the masters of the Dark Side, no matter who you face always remember that their fear is your weapon. Once you have mastered that then no one will ever defeat you." 

Sidious and Vader walked out of the chamber, leaving the unconscious Yoda alone temporarily. "He will be a tough one to break," remarked Sidious "but in time I will take the Force from him, and then Yoda will be little more than an amusement. In the mean time I have another task for you." 

Anakin felt as if he had taken a blaster bolt to his chest. "Master, I had promised Padme that I would..." 

"Yes yes I know, you haven't spent much time with your wife and children since thier birth. However this assignment is directly related to their well being." Sidious stopped as Anakin stopped with him. "I take it you remember a Dark Jedi by the name of Asajj Ventress?" 

Anakin crushed his mechanical fist and the Dark Side enveloped over him. Sidious smiled at the display of anger. "It has been reported that she was the mastermind behind Aurra Sing's escape from the Oov IV military prison. Intelligence indicates that she used a solar sailer not unlike the one Count Dooku used to escape from Geonosis." Another unimportant line but one that Sidious knew would get a rise out of Vader, and it did. When it came to his apprentice there were two things that he knew would immediately draw an angry response, his wife and the battle that took his hand. 

Shortly after returning from the Battle of Rendili, Anakin had encountered Asajj Ventress on Coruscant. Ventress had been there to assassinate the rogue Jedi Quinlan Vos but instead discovered Anakin's secret marriage. She threatened Padme's life and the two dueled, with Anakin sending her into the abyss of Coruscant. She had survived somehow and was being cybernetically restored by Count Dooku when Anakin had fought her and nearly killed her again. It was the threat against Padme however, that ignited Anakin's fury against her. 

"I will hunt her down and kill her master." Anakin said in a grim voice. His utter seriousness was met though with deflecting laughter from Palpatine. 

"I have no doubt in my mind Lord Vader, but I have already saved you the trouble. Ventress and Sing are in the Alderaan system. General Skywalker is due to attend their demilitarization ceremony as the official Imperial Representative. They are there for the express purpose of killing you." 

Anakin began to ask a question, and then stopped. He had wanted to ask how it was that Ventress knew where Anakin was to be in advance, but there was only one possible solution. His master had orchestrated the entire Clone Wars, he had manipulated countless soldiers and planets including powerful men such as Count Dooku and even the Jedi Council. He had also proven with Dooku that he wasn't above using his apprentices as bait either. It didn't matter, Obi Wan had used Anakin in the same manner on at least several occaisions and Anakin far preferred a combat situation far more than the ivory tower behind the scenes dueling that was Lord Sidious' specialty. Sidious examined his apprentice for any sort of objection but found none. 

"I will destroy them both master, it would be my pleasure." Darth Vader said as he finally relaxed his fist. 

"Then there is no need for further discussion. A shuttle will be waiting to take you to Alderaan in about twelve hours. See to it that you arrive promptly." 

Vader bowed to Sidious and then immediately made his way towards the lift that would take him back up to the city, and to his family. The Emperor summoned his guards once again to his side. 

"See to it that the Jedi is sedated," Palpatine handed the guardsmen a small datapad. "These are my private physicians, have them set up an intravenous flow triggered to his neural responses. Then while he's unconscious fit him with a slave chip." That was an order he couldn't give in front of Anakin, who was vehemently against the same devices that had enslaved him as a child. 

Sidious laughed again. It had taken many years, and for the first time he felt completely and utterly victorious. But there was still work to be done in prserving that victory. He made his way back to his office flanked by a pair of his guards. He had to make one last transmission before resuming his official duties...