Anakin and the Darkness Within

[SSgtC]

Introduction and Author's Notes:
This is an AU where Anakin Skywalker doesn't fall to the Dark Side, but remains loyal to the Jedi and himself. Fair warning, it's not all sunshine and rainbows and happy thoughts. This story is in a couple other places as well, so I'll be posting new chapters every few days until it's caught up.

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Padme had been worried about Anakin ever since he returned from the Outer Rim. Ever since she had told them that they were about to become parents. Anakin's dreams, the dreams he had had about his mother, had returned. Only this time, they were about her. She had spent the entire night begging Anakin to talk to Obi-Wan about them. Or to Yoda. But Anakin, stubborn like he always was, was determined to handle this on his own. To prevent this dream from coming true. Now that she thought about it, saying she was worried about her husband might have been an understatement.

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Padme wasn't the only one worried about Anakin. Obi-wan could tell that something was bothering his old Padawan and friend. But of course Anakin refused to talk about it. While, ok, that wasn't that unusual for him, the sheer terror he felt radiating off of him was. Something was certainly very wrong. Obi-wan knew of only one person who might actually be able to reach Anakin when he got like this. He reached for his communicator and made a call.

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Anakin knew that Padme and Obi-Wan were worried about him. He felt terrible for that. But how could he explain it to them? Padme, for as much as she tried, wasn't a Jedi and didn't really understand the Force. Didn't really understand why he was so scared of the vision he had. She was there when he had the visions of his mother. And she was there when he found her. Didn't she remember how frighteningly accurate his vision had been? And to just brush it off the way she was? He felt his anger building and clamped down on it. Now was not the time.

His thoughts then drifted to Obi-Wan. Padme wanted him to talk to his old Master about his dream. But Obi-wan could never understand. How could he? Master Kenobi was the perfect Jedi. He would have no choice but to report Anakin to the rest of the Council for breaking the Jedi Code and forming an attachment to Padme and marrying her. He would be thrown out of the Jedi Order, exiled. And while, ok, he had planned to leave the Order anyway after the war, there was no way he could abandon his fellow Jedi and the Republic in their time of need. Besides, the Jedi had been ravaged by the war. So few Jedi were left that the Temple was almost entirely empty except for the Younglings and the Temple Masters.

Actually, now that he thought about it, the Order was in desperate need of Jedi Knights. Maybe he could talk to Obi-wan about it. Tell him about the dream, tell him everything. The Council would be furious when they found out. But maybe, just maybe, they wouldn't kick him out until after the war. Or possibly he could even promise to leave the Order once the war was over. Yeah, that might work. He'd have to talk to Padme about it first though. Diplomacy wasn't exactly his strong suite. He left the negotiating to her or Obi-wan. He tried to stay in the background until they moved on to aggressive negotiations. That thought made him grin, remembering the look on Padme's face when he first explained the term to her on Naboo. Having made up his mind, Anakin turned to leave the Temple. And ran straight into Master Yoda.

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Padme was just about to leave for the Senate when her comm station went off. Her private comm station. Only a few people had that number. And if someone was trying to reach her on it, it must be important. Closing the door again, she went to the station and, seeing a Jedi Temple prefix, answered, half expecting it to be Anakin. Instead, it was Obi-wan. Ever the senator, she did not let the surprise show on her face or her voice, though she was pretty sure Obi-wan could feel it (come to think of it, could Jedi feel emotions like that through a comm call? She'd have to ask Anakin later). "Master Kenobi. What a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?"

"Senator," replied Kenobi with a small bow. "I could use your help with a, personal, matter. It's in regard to Anakin. I know you two are close and I was hoping for your help."

"He knows," was the first thing to cross Padme's mind. Why else would he be calling? She honestly thought more of Obi-wan than this. Certainly his reputation as The Negotiator led her to believe that he wouldn't make such an amateurish mistake. All of this flashed across her mind in just the first second or so after Obi-wan's request. "Of course, Master Jedi. I'm always willing to aide the Order however I can. What is it you would like?"

"Actually Senator, this is rather sensitive. I'd rather discuss this with you in private if possible."

"That confirmed it," Padme thought. The gizka was certainly out of the bag now. "I understand completely. Would this evening work for you? I'll be at my apartment around eight or so."

"Eight would be fine Senator. I'll see you tonight."

"Wonderful," thought Padme as she disconnected the call. "Just wonderful. As if she didn't have enough to worry about."

___________​

"Young Skywalker. In a hurry, are you?" asked the aged Jedi Master.

Anakin bristled at being called Young Skywalker, but then again, even a being five hundred years old would be "young" to Master Yoda. "Apologies, Master. I've had much on my mind of late."

"Know this, I do. Taking a life, never easy it is."

Oh! That's what he thinks this is about? His killing of Count Dooku? A bit of his guilt at the way he killed him must have seeped into the Force because Yoda was giving him a look he normally reserved only for unruly Younglings that he had caught red-handed in one bit of mischief or another. Anakin had seen that look quite often when he had first come to the Temple and he now knew better than to try to get anything over on the Grand Master of the Jedi Order. "That is partly it, Master. I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than that. But I'm sure you're quite busy."

"Hmmmm, busy I am. But not so busy to neglect a Jedi in need. Walk with me, you will Young Skywalker. Talk, we will."

That name again! Ugh. He really should just get used to it. He doubted Yoda would ever call him anything else. "Yes, Master."

As they walked through the Room of a Thousand Fountains, or rather, Anakin walked while Master Yoda rode his hoverchair, Anakin found that the calming waters of the fountains helped to soothe his mind. Not enough to reach true peace, Anakin hadn't known true peace, other than when he was in Padme's arms, since Geonosis. Though he suspected Yoda knew that and this seemingly aimless stroll was done purposefully to let Anakin calm his mind and order his thoughts. For that he was grateful. Since, during this walk through the room, the largest in the Temple, he had made a decision to tell Yoda everything. Even if it meant getting banished from the Order. "Master, would it be possible for us to talk privately? What I have to say, it would be best not to say in public."

"Come, Jedi Skywalker, talk in my Meditation room, we shall."

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Across Coruscant, Darth Sidious felt a wave of ice wash over him. As if the whole planet's temperature had suddenly dropped to that of Hoth. There was only one thing this could mean. His carefully laid plans, plans he had spent decades honing, building and cajoling into reality, were about to be completely upended. His only hope was to try and delve into the Force tonight and root out the cause of this shift. Fortunately, the Jedi were as blind to that as they were to everything else. The veil his master had cast over the Jedi years previously still seemed to be very effective. Soon, he was quite sure, the Jedi would be nothing but a footnote in history.

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Anakin had spent the last two hours talking to Master Yoda, telling him everything. Leaving nothing out. Not his killing of the Sand People on Tatooine all those years ago, not his secret marriage to Padme, not how he had executed Count Dooku when he had been defeated and kneeling before him. He told him all of it. And as he did so, a sense of calm that he hadn't felt since he was a boy settled on him. A feeling that he was doing exactly what the Force wished him to. Master Yoda sat, and listened. At the end, when Anakin explained how he had had a vision of Padme dying in childbirth, Anakin broke.

With tears in his eyes, he begged the Jedi Master for help. Telling him he couldn't lose her, that she meant everything to him. Pleading for some way to change what he saw in his vision.

When he was finished, Yoda reached out, put his hand on Anakin's shoulder and squeezed. Speaking softly and kindly, Yoda said, "Young Skywalker, a great deal to discuss you and I have. Done things, you have, that you should not. Time for that later, we will have. For now, your vision we will see to. Remember, do you, your first lessons, when arrived at the Temple you did?"

Anakin, through the tears in his eyes, looked at Master Yoda with something akin to shock. Hadn't he heard him? He had murdered men, women and children for revenge. In anger. He had killed a helpless man. And the thing Master Yoda wanted to focus on was something that might not even happen? That thought brought Anakin up short. "Whoa, wait a second," he thought. "Had he really been being so selfish that he was no longer putting his duty as a Jedi first? Was this truly the first time he had done so in years? What kind of a Jedi was he?" The bad kind, his conscience told him. Realizing Master Yoda was looking at him, he shook himself out of his thoughts. "Master, I've just realized that for the last few years, I have been an absolutely terrible person. Not just my actions, but by putting my needs and wants first, I've failed in my duty as a Jedi."

Reaching for his lightsaber to give it to Master Yoda and resign from the Order, Master Yoda stopped him. "Remove your lightsaber, do not. A decision for another day this is. Your vision. Remember, do you, your early teachings?"

"Yes Master. The future is always in motion. That what we see is just one possible future of many and may not come true. But, Master Yoda, my visions of my mother did come true. What if these do the same?"

"Hmph, why this is, attachment is forbidden. An easy answer for you, I do not have. To let go of those you love, you must learn. Easy, this will not be. All life ends, Young Skywalker. The way of the Force, this is. Many years will it take you to learn this, I feel."

"But Master, I don't have years. Our child is due in two months. I can't lose her. OUCH!" Cried Anakin as Yoda's gimmer stick cracked across his shins.

"Much to learn, you still have my young Jedi. For 800 years, have I been Jedi. Much I have seen. Much I have learned. To attempt to change your vision, ensure its outcome you may."

Closing his eyes, Yoda reached out with the Force and brushed against Anakin. Opening his eyes again, Yoda told the young Jedi, "Much fear I sense in you Anakin. Fear for yourself, no. But fear for those around you, you do. Aide them in this state, you cannot. Share with me, your vision."

Collecting himself, at least as much as he could right then, Anakin sank into a meditation exercise (never his strong suite, he never could sit still) and reached out with the Force feeling for Master Yoda. He really wasn't that difficult to find, his force presence shined like a beacon of light. Anakin was pretty sure his looked like a thunderstorm at the moment. Yoda joined with him and Anakin began to share his vision.

 

[SSgtC]

At 500 Republica, Obi-wan and Padme were having the conversation she'd been dreading all day. Not that anyone could tell. She was, after all, a consummate politician, showing and expressing only what she wanted the other person to see and hear. In that regard, she and the Jedi had more in common than the average Jedi would care to admit. For his part, Obi-wan got straight to the point.

Sitting on the sofa beside Padme, Obi-wan gave her an earnest look and said, "Senator, I need your help. Something is wrong with Anakin. He won't tell me what it is, but the way he feels in the Force, he's terrified of something. He's looked up to you since he was a boy and I know that you two are close. Is there anyway you could possibly talk to him? Perhaps get him to open up?"

For the second time that day, Obi-wan shocked Padme. She had been so certain that he was coming here tonight to confront her about her and Anakin's marriage and her pregnancy. And in a way, he was. It's just that he didn't know that he was. This gave her another problem. Lying to Obi-wan would be nearly impossible. While she could keep it off her face and out of her voice, the Force gave the Jedi a nearly unbeatable edge when it came to uncovering deception. All of this ran through her thoughts while listening to Obi-wan. "Of course Master Kenobi. I'd be delighted to help," replied Padme. "You know I consider you and Anakin two of my closest friends. Whatever I can do, you have my word. But, you know Anakin. Once he's made his mind up about something, it's practically impossible to get him to change it."

"Oh, yes. I'm quite familiar with my Padawan's stubborn streak. I also know that, out of everyone on this planet, you seem to have the ability to get through to him when no one else can."

"Oh, if only he knew," thought Padme. Normally, yes, she could get Anakin to see reason. But this? Not so much. Unfortunately for her, a bit too much of her nervousness and fear for her husband was seeping into the Force and Obi-wan started to pick up on it.

"What could possibly be making her nervous and frightened," he thought. Certainly he wasn't asking her to do something unethical or immoral. He thought she would leap at the chance to spend time with Anakin. Their feelings for one another weren't exactly a secret. Oh, he supposed they thought they were. But the two of them really weren't nearly as discrete as they thought they were. Of course Obi-wan, like most everyone else, had assumed that they would be professional enough about it to not act on those feelings. That triggered another line of thought for Obi-wan. "What if they hadn't kept their distance? Could that be why Padme seemed so nervous? Was she worried that she and Anakin had been exposed?"

With that, disturbing, thought, Obi-wan reached out with the Force to gently probe Padme's Force Aura. With a shock, he found not only Padme's Force Signature, but the signatures of two other beings connected to hers! Padme was pregnant! A second shock came a moment later when he realized that the two tiny Force Signatures growing inside her were vaguely familiar. They actually felt a bit like Anakin. Obi-wan felt his heart drop. He loved Anakin like a brother. But this? To say that Anakin would have some explaining to do was putting it mildly. There was no doubt in his mind that the Council would be forced to expel him, Chosen One or not. The truth suddenly rushed at him in a flood, as if a dam had burst and the Force had come flooding in to confirm what he thought. "Padme," he asked her gently, "you know why Anakin is troubled, don't you? I can feel it in your Force Aura. Anakin is the father, isn't he?"

For a split second, the politician's mask that Padme wore like armor, slipped. Her face registered her surprise, giving Obi-wan all the confirmation he needed that he was right. He placed his hand on Padme's and squeezed.

"Padme, I want you to know, Anakin is like my brother. The last thing I want is to cause him or you pain. You've both already had so much pain in your lives. But I truly am worried about him. He is slipping down a path that could lead to his destruction. I need your help." Before Padme could answer, the door to her apartment burst open.

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Anakin had never been so deep into the Force before. Master Yoda seemed to be guiding him down long forgotten pathways. In that moment, Anakin realized just how little he knew and how, for all his power and potential, how much he paled in comparison to a true Jedi Master such as Yoda. Yoda was guiding him down into the Force, deeper than he even knew was possible, to help him get to the root of his vision. Part of the reason for it was simple fear. Anakin was terrified of losing his wife and child. That reason, conveniently, was sitting literally at the top of his subconscious. A little too conveniently according to Master Yoda (at least that was the impression Anakin had gotten from the Grandmaster, communicating in this state was somewhat difficult, though the mental whack across the shins from Yoda's gimmer stick that he had just gotten for getting distracted seemed to come through just fine).

Concentrating once more, he and Master Yoda followed the paths that the Force was leading them down. As they went, Anakin seemed to feel the air getting closer, darker, colder. Continuing on, he seemed to sense a dark, glowing ball of black, as crazy as that sounds. With a start, he realized that part of that black ball of energy had entangled itself with his own essence! "Could he really have been that close to the Dark Side without even noticing it? That shouldn't be possible. He would have felt it. Wouldn't he?" He felt Master Yoda urging him on and followed the diminutive Jedi Master down.

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For Yoda, it felt like a curtain had been pulled back, or a long locked door finally opened. For the first time in years he felt the Force the way it should be felt. Like a veil had been pulled away from his eyes and he rejoiced in it. For all the darkness he felt in Young Skywalker's vision and tangled up within him, the young Jedi was still a beacon of light unlike any he had ever known, and the young man's presence was seeming to light the way. For Yoda, it was very much like seeing an old friend again as he traveled down into the Force, deeper than he had been able to in decades. That was when he saw it. A dark tendril wrapped around Anakin, seeping into the boy's soul, poisoning his spirit. And leading directly to the vision of his wife dying, feeding and enhancing it.

For Yoda, the admission from Young Skywalker that he had broken the code and gotten married really wasn't all that surprising. Oh, he acted like it was of course. But the old Jedi had long suspected that Anakin and the Senator from Naboo were far closer than anyone suspected. In other circumstances, he would have called Young Skywalker before the Council to explain himself. But now, with so few Jedi left, less than 10,000 when the Order had once numbered in the millions, they could not afford to lose one such as Anakin. So long as the young man had put his duty as a Jedi first, Yoda had made very sure he avoided actually knowing whether or not what he suspected was true. That was all moot now of course following Skywalker's admission. He thought this as he and Anakin followed the tendril down to it's source. Deeper and deeper into the Force. Yoda himself had only ever been this deep into the Force on a handful of occasions. And only when absolutely necessary, as going this deep, it was far too easy to lose yourself in the Force and never find your way back.

As the two Jedi approached the source of the darkness, Yoda began to feel as if there was something familiar about it. Pushing against it with the Force, he was met with a violent reaction, almost physically throwing him back. Just before being thrown back to consciousness, Yoda saw a leering face peering at them. One that had been horribly disfigured and scarred, but one that he knew all too well. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.

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Hidden deep within The Works section of Coruscant was the secret lair of Darth Sidious. Here was his meditation room. Here was where he kept his most precious Sith artifacts, some dating back thousands of years to when the Sith had ruled an empire. It was here that Darth Sidious was free to cast aside his public persona of Sheev Palpatine and let his true self show. It was here that Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, reigned supreme. After the disturbing warning he had gotten earlier that day, Sidious too had dived deep into the Force. "What could have possibly triggered such a warning? Had he been betrayed? Had Tyranus planned something to expose him should he be betrayed?" He felt his anger boiling up to the surface. He let it. It would prove useful in rooting out the source of his problem. Burying himself deep within the Force, he began to probe outward. Searching for who or what it was that was threatening to expose him and destroy all he had worked for. Suddenly, he found that his problem had come to him. Approaching through the Force were Master Yoda and Anakin Skywalker. Through the Force he registered the shock he felt from both of them as they recognized his Force Signature. With as much power as he could summon, he threw both Jedi back and felt the connection with them break. Pulling himself out of the Force as well, he understood with sudden clarity what had happened. That foolish boy had opened himself up fully to the Jedi and the light. Hiding nothing from them, he had lost his leverage over the child. Years of effort, carefully grooming the boy, building stress points in his psyche, applying just the right pressure to them, ensuring the boy would break exactly how and when he wanted him to, wasted.

With a snarl that was more beast than man, he began pacing in his chambers, trying to plan what he could do. The problem was, he had always had the Force to assist him with his plans before. But that meddling boy and the little troll had managed to tear away the veil the Sith had placed over the Jedi. For him to delve deeply into the Force now would be akin to lighting a signal fire leading straight to him.

He was loathe to just discard Skywalker. He had seen what the boy could become. He could be the most powerful Sith to have ever lived. Unfortunately, it didn't seem as though he had much choice in the matter. He went to his holonet terminal and called up various reports that he had access to as Chancellor. Hmmmm, slightly worse than he had hoped. A fairly large percentage of Jedi, including most of the Jedi Council, were on world at the moment. Of course, that also meant there were more Clone Troopers as well. He would need more though to pull off what he was thinking. Unless of course, he came out into the open. Show the Galaxy what true power was. Crush the Jedi personally.

He sighed, resigning himself to throwing away Skywalker. Knowing that the boy would never trust him now, would never betray the Jedi. He would have to act quickly, before the Jedi could fully realize what had happened and react. Sidious began sending messages to various Clone Commanders and then placed a holocall. "Commander Cody. The time has come. Execute Order 66."

 

[SSgtC]

With a gasp, Anakin fell to the floor, hurled almost bodily from the depths of the Force by that dark presence. Looking over to Yoda, he saw the Jedi Master was shaken, but still on his meditation couch. "Master," he asked shakily, "what was that?"

"Hmmmm, the Sith Lord that was. Discovered him, we have. But too late, I fear. Recall his face, do you?"

Anakin, still shaken from the experience, nods. "Yes Master. It was horribly scared and disfigured. Almost as if it had been ravaged by some powerful beast." Here he paused. He could barely choke out what he said next. "And it looked like the Chancellor."

"The Chancellor, it was. His true face did we see. Scared, not by beast, but by the Dark Side. Quick and easy the Dark Side is. But extract a terrible price, it does. Blind we have been not to have noticed. Failed I have as a Jedi. Now, all may be lost. Prepare we must. Not long will Sidious wait to begin his attack now that exposed he is."

"I agree Master. But, how? To try and destroy him is not the Jedi way. But, he may be too powerful to capture peacefully."

With a small smile on his face, Yoda responded, "Learned from your mistakes, you have Anakin. Proud of you, for that, I am. But destroy the Sith, we must. Too much power does he have to bring to a trial."

Thinking on that, Anakin had a, for him, rare moment of political insight. "Master Yoda, what you say has merit. Palpatine, or Sidious, has far too much power over the Senate. But if the Jedi move against him directly, he could use that against the Order. If we are unsuccessful, he will use our attempt to restore Democracy to discredit the Order and destroy us. But perhaps my wife could be useful. I hate even thinking of this, but she knows beings in the Senate who will stand up for what is right. If we get the Senate on our side, we may have a chance." Those last words seemed to rip Anakin's heart out to say them. The last thing he wanted was to place Padme and his child in any sort of danger. But the simple fact was, just by being his wife, Sidious had probably already marked Padme for death.

Anakin had no illusions that Palpatine knew about his relationship. His vision and the dark tendril leading from it had proven that. The betrayal by the man that had always been his friend, had been a mentor to him, practically a father to him was tearing at his insides, threating to rip him apart. Two things kept him from giving into the anger he felt toward him. The first, and biggest reason, was Padme. Padme would never agree to him becoming something so evil. He would lose her then just as surely as he had in his vision. The second, was that giving in to his anger and hate is exactly what that kriffing Sith wanted him to do. Anakin may be rash. And arrogant. And stubborn. And a litany of other awful traits. But he wasn't foolish enough to believe for one second that Sidious would help him in the slightest once he had what he wanted. Of that, he was absolutely certain. And at least if Padme were at the Temple, she would be safe.

Sitting across from him, Yoda watched all this play out on Anakin's face and felt it in the Force. He felt his determination rise and his spirit begin to heal. "A strong Jedi he will be if past this crisis the Order survived," he thought. "A wise suggestion, Young Skywalker. Go. To the Temple, bring your wife. Explain to the Council I will what has happened. For yourself, be not afraid. A strong and wise Jedi you will be. Prepare the Temple for an attack we must. The Younglings we must save above all else. The future of the Order, they are. Look up to you, they do. Your mission that will be. Protect them, you must."

Anakin wanted to argue with him. Wanted to tell him that he would need him if he faced Sidious. Even started to form a reply to press his point. He was one of the finest duelists in the Order. His sheer power and ability were the equal of most of the Masters on the Council (he did admit, privately, that Mace, Yoda and likely Obi-wan could best him in a duel). Instead, upon seeing the look Yoda was giving him, Anakin simply nodded his head and replied, "Yes Master. Once I return, I'll see to the safety of the young ones. May the Force be with you Master Yoda."

"And with you Jedi Skywalker."

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Before Padme could even register what was happening, Obi-wan had leapt off the couch, his lightsaber flashing, deflecting bolt after bolt back at the Clone Troopers who had opened fire on them. But for every one knocked down by either a deflected bolt or Obi-wan's saber when they got too close, it seemed as if two more took his place. Obi-wan was shouting at her to move and find cover while trying to order the Clones to stand down. As Padme's shock wore off, she grabbed the blaster from her couch and began firing at the clones. Through the din of battle, she vaguely heard a transport touch down on her landing pad. "This is it," she thought. "The end. I'm so sorry Anakin. I'm so sorry little ones. I tried." Just as she turned to face what she thought were reinforcements, she saw Anakin, her love, almost literally fly through the room, lightsaber already lit, and join Obi-wan in repelling the Clones. Seeing The Team in action was truly awe inspiring for Padme. They moved almost as if they were one being. Sabers flashing, stabbing and slicing, moving through the Clones with a practiced ease. In minutes it was all over.

Obi-wan and Anakin both powered down their lightsabers and looked sadly on the Clones that they had had to kill. Clones that they had led personally in battle on a dozen worlds. "What took you so long?" asked Obi-wan.

"Oh, you know Master. I couldn't find a speeder I really liked. Plus, I figured you could use the practice. You seemed to be moving slower the last time we spared. I was afraid you might be losing your edge."

"Only in your mind, my young apprentice. Regardless, I'm glad you arrived when you did."

"You're welcome."

Turning to Padme, Anakin gave her a bow, "Senator, Master Yoda wishes me to escort you to the Jedi Temple. The Order could use your aide in defeating the Sith Lord."

"Oh Anakin," cried Padme as she rushed into his arms, tears streaming down her face. Anakin looked like he had been hit by a stun blast at Padme's sudden surge of affection.

This caused Obi-wan to smile for what seemed like the first time since they got back Coruscant. "Well don't just stand there Anakin. I believe its considered rude not to hug your wife back when she grabs you like that." If anything, the look on Anakin's face got even more shocked. This was highly amusing to Obi-wan to see his normally outgoing friend be shocked into silence.

"He knows, Anakin. He wants to help," Padme told her bewildered husband.

Embracing Padme with everything he had, Anakin then turned to Obi-wan and took a deep breath. This was not going to be easy.

"Master, let me start by saying that I'm sorry. I know I've failed you and the Order by breaking the Code. I have my reasons, but that doesn't excuse it. I've already spoken to Master Yoda." Looking at Padme, "Once Sidious is gone, I'm leaving the Order. No more secrets." Turning back to Obi-wan, now it was Anakin's turn to chuckle as Obi-wan's mouth had dropped open at Anakin's frank admission and acceptance of the consequences. Something had changed in his old Padawan. And changed for the better. "Obi-wan!" Anakin yelled for the third time.

Finally, snapping out of it, all Obi-wan could do was shake his head. "Did Master Yoda really send you here for Padme?" he asked.

"Yes. While Master Yoda and I were meditating, don't looked so shocked, I do do it occasionally, we discovered who the Sith Lord is. It's a long story and we need to get back the Temple immediately. He may be moving even faster than we feared if the attack here is any indication. I'll fill you both in on the way."

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"So that's everything. Master Yoda and I discovered that Palpatine is the Sith Lord. He's manipulated the entire war to get power. Now we need to stop him. But if we try to do that without the Senate behind us, it will just backfire on us and make it look like every accusation Palpatine has ever levied at the Order was true," finished Anakin, giving his best friend and his wife a very condensed version of what was going on.

"So that's why you need me at the Temple. To try and organize the Senate to back the Order in removing Palpatine. I'm not sure it will work. Most of the Senate is behind him, or at the least won't stand up to him. I can get you a few thousand Senators, but not a majority."

"Anakin, I hate to bring this up, but won't your relationship with Padme just turn Senators away? Couldn't they argue that she's the 'Jedi's pet Senator.'" This last bit Obi-wan said with an apologetic look at Padme. She quickly waved his unspoken apology away as not needed.

"It's a possibility," Anakin admitted. "But without it, the Order would be seen as the bad guys here. We're already looked down upon because of the war. This would just make it worse."

"True, but..." Obi-wan stopped in mid sentence. For approaching the Temple was a massive column of Clones. It looked to be every battalion on planet at the moment. At their head, marched a solitary figure, clad all in black and radiating a darkness that seemed to swallow up the light around him.

"Sidious" breathed Anakin. "Hang on, this is gonna be a rough ride in."

 

[SSgtC]

Leaving Anakin to pilot their shuttle, Obi-wan quickly got on the comm to call Master Yoda and warn him of the approaching column of Clones. Master Yoda's response was chilling. "See them approaching, we do. See Sidious at their head as well. Evacuate the Temple, we must. Too many there are for what few Jedi are left. A warning we have sent to all Jedi in the field to escape as best they can. Not received in time by some, it was. Have fallen already, many have. Once landed you have..." Yoda's transmission was abruptly cut off as the Clone Army began to jam the frequencies used by the Temple.

"Look on the bright side," said Anakin. "The Clones use the same frequencies we do. If they're jamming us, they'll be jamming themselves as well."

"Oh Anakin. Do you really think Palpatine hasn't thought of that and kept at least a few frequencies that we don't know about clear?" Obi-wan asked.

"Sorry Master. You're right. Padme, when we land, I need you to stay with the ship. I can't, I can't bear to think about you being in danger right now." Padme opened her mouth to argue with him, but quickly thought better of it and simply nodded her head. The shock of being betrayed by someone she considered a friend still hurt. "How could he have done this," she wondered. "Why didn't we see it? Why couldn't I stop him?" Her thoughts unknowingly echoing Anakin's.

"Padme. Those are thoughts for another day," Obi-wan told her. "The Sith and the Sith alone are responsible for this. Don't blame yourself. And that goes for you as well Anakin. I can feel your guilt from here. I need you focused." This last point was emphasized by the Clones finally noticing that the shuttle above their heads was flying directly towards the Temple and opening fire on it.

"I am focused Master. More than I have been in a long time," Anakin told him as he deftly dodged the incoming blaster fire. "But I should have seen it. I was closer to him than just about anyone. How didn't I notice that he had me so wrapped up in his web..."

"Another time, Anakin. We'll have time to figure all this out later. For now, we have a mission."

"Yes Master."

"Master Kenobi, Yoda mentioned something about evacuating the Temple. To where?" Padme asked. Obi-wan simply smiled.

"Someplace that not even Palpatine would think to look. A planet that the rest of the Galaxy believes lost. You could say its the true home of the Jedi Order."

"Master, surely, you don't mean..."

"Oh yes Anakin. I do."

"Well, would someone mind telling me?" demanded Padme. Before either could answer the shuttle was landing in the Temple.

_______________​

To say that Sidious was furious would be the understatement of the century. He had arrived at the Temple only to find the doors sealed in his face. Of course he at first attempted to wrench them free with the Force, but the little troll inside had used the Force to seal them and was actively holding them in place. He would have to blast his way through. The turbolaser batteries were on their way now, but being thwarted, even momentarily, was making his blood boil. Surprisingly, he had felt Skywalker return to the Temple. He had been sure that he would flee the planet once he ensured his wife's safety. So perhaps not all was lost there after all? If Skywalker could be captured, then tortured until he turned, he mused, he could still have his apprentice. Oh, he'd have to watch his back every second of every day as he doubted Skywalker would ever truly trust him. Getting Skywalker this way was a bit like keeping a Rancor as a pet. Strong, powerful, frightening to others. And it could turn on you without any warning whatsoever. But it was worth the effort if possible. Skywalker's potential was enough to practically make him drool.

"My Lord, the batteries are almost in position. We can begin firing in 5 minutes," Reported Commander Cody.

"Excellent. You may begin firing as soon as they are in position. But make sure you do not target the Archives. I want them intact!" Sidious snarled at him.

"Yes, My Lord."

_____________​

About 1/3 of the way back in the column, Captain Rex, CT-7567 of the 501st Battalion, stood quietly. Were they really going to do this? Attack the Jedi? Turn on their own General? Surely there must be a better way. He had lost count of the number of time General Skywalker had saved his ass in battle. How willing the General was to share each and every hardship with him and his brothers. Could we really turn on him? Clicking off of the main command frequency they had been issued a few hours earlier, he jumped on the battalion command net and quickly called his officers to join him. Ostensibly to go over their battle plan one more time and to do so without risk of Jedi eavesdropping. What he didn't say was that he didn't want anyone eavesdropping on this conversation. Once they were all gathered together, he quickly got down to business. "Right. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not too comfortable with turning on the General like this. Not even giving him a chance to surrender first? And this order to kill every Jedi on sight regardless of age? What do you think?"

There was a muttered agreement from all the men, none of them feeling good about this. Like Rex, they had all had their Inhibitor Chips removed. The discovery of that little device was almost enough to make some of the men go rouge. Fortunately, Rex and General Skywalker had made sure his men had gotten them removed. General Skywalker especially had been appalled at the men being treated like slaves with chips in their heads. Really, that was the only thing that had kept some of the men from deserting. Personal loyalty to their General. "Alright then. When the order is given, we move in. All blasters set to stun. I don't want anyone to get hurt. If you're about to get cut down, hit the Jedi with a stun blast and drag him to safety. I'll try to get ahold of the General. See what he wants us to do. I've got another idea too that I'm going to try." With that, the 501st prepared to turn their backs on the Republic.

______________​

Within the Jedi Temple, the few Jedi left were running around like mad; making ready to abandon their beloved home. Jedi Master Jocasta Nu, the Chief Librarian of the Jedi Order supervised the emptying of the Archives. All the computer records had already been transferred to portable storage units (a monumental task in and of itself) and the computers themselves were in the process of being wiped. That, however was the least of her tasks. The Temple was full of thousands of Holocrons from both the Jedi and the Sith. Not to mention the countless other artifacts from powerful Jedi and Sith past. To let these priceless artifacts fall into the hands of the Sith was unthinkable. She and numerous other Jedi were transferring as many as possible to the transports in the Hanger. In addition, she had tasked a few Padawans to collect the supply of Kyber Crystals kept in the Temple and place them on the shuttles as well. With an attack on this scale, she could only assume that they would not be able to return to Illum any time soon to gather more. She only hoped the computers and vaults where they were going would be adequate to contain the mountain of information they were bringing.

________________​

In the Crèche, Master Kit Fisto was preparing the Younglings to leave, ensuring they all were dressed and ready, supervising the various Knights and Padawans assigned there to care for the children. In truth, he was longing to enter battle, but until Skywalker arrived back at the Temple, this task was his.

_____________​

Master Windu had been busy organizing the various Knights and Masters to defend key strong points and keep the Clones and Sidious away from the Archives and Hangers as long as possible. He had no illusions about his own prospects for survival. But he fervently hoped that his sacrifice would buy enough time for the bulk of the Order to escape.

____________​

Master Yoda sat calmly and serenely with a look of great concentration on his face, his arms outstretched toward the doors of the Temple. Exerting himself through the Force, he made sure the doors stayed closed. He also was weaving a Force Shield around them, blocking them from Sidious' influence. Though powerful, he knew he would not be able to hold the doors forever. Soon, the Order would be in a fight for its life. His greatest hope was that the preparations he and the other Masters had made would be enough to ensure the survival of the Order. He knew the Jedi would be forever changed by this. It saddened him to think that. "But, perhaps a good thing, this was. Too arrogant, had the Order grown. Out of touch with the common people. Too set in their ways. Change, needed, it was," he thought. He just hoped that he would live to see it. Somehow, he doubted it.

________________​

The hanger was a scene of barely controlled chaos. Masters, Knights and Padawans seemed to rush in every direction at once. Only to a very keen eye would it be apparent that everyone was accomplishing some task that was vital and that it all seemed to be working. "Having the Force on your side really was a huge advantage," thought Anakin. "Padme, I want you to try and reach Ahsoka for me. She needs to be warned about what's happening. Try this number. Its something we set up for emergencies. Only her, Rex and I know it. Hopefully no one is monitoring it and she'll get the message. Tell her, tell her we're going home. She'll know what that means."

"Ok. Is there anyone else I should call? Get somebody in the Senate involved?" Padme asked him.

"If you think you can trust them. Make sure they know to stay away from the Temple for their own safety. Obi-wan, how much do you think we should tell them?"

"Not much. I'm not really sure how far anyone can be trusted. Padme, if you're absolutely sure they can be trusted, tell them that we're going someplace safe. Somewhere we can regroup. We'll need your's and the Senate's support to overthrow Palpatine," Obi-wan told her.

"So, where exactly are we going?" Padme was finally able to ask.

"Tython. It's deep within the Core. Everyone thinks the Hyperspace routes to it collapsed centuries ago. They didn't. They just shifted. The routes are only known to the Order now. We'll be safe there." Obi-wan told her. "Now, quickly, make the calls. We don't have much time."

Anakin quickly swept Padme up in a tight embrace "I love you. Keep the engines warm for me." Before she could reply, Anakin and Obi-wan were gone, rushing out of the hanger on their respective missions.

Anakin quickly made his way to the Crèche and saw Master Fisto there. "Anakin! You don't know how relived I am to see you. Dealing with younglings is not my strong suite. I have to join Master Windu. Get these young ones to the hanger. Get them out of here. You know where we're going?"

"Yes Master. You have my word. I'll get them to safety. And yes, I know. May the Force be with you Master Fisto."

"May the Force be with us all, Anakin." With that, Master Fisto was gone, rushing to join the defenses with Master Windu.

Oh, how Anakin longed to be there. To defend the only home he had known since he was nine. To pay back Palpatine for all the pain and suffering he had caused in the Galaxy. Anakin felt his control slipping and quickly bit down on it. If he faced Palpatine now, he'd surely give in to his anger at him and that would give the smug bastard exactly what he wanted. Someone lost to the Dark Side forever. It was then that he noticed a youngling walk up to him.

"Master Skywalker, there are too many of them. What are we going to do?"

"What's your name, young one?" asked Anakin, getting down onto one knee in front of the young man.

"Sors Bandeam, Master."

"Well Sors, we're going to get you all out of here. Take you somewhere safe. Do you have all your things?"

"Yes, Master Skywalker."

"Good. Do you have your lightsaber? If we run into trouble, I could use your help," Anakin told the young boy, smiling as he did so.

Sors smiled at this and held up his lightsaber. "Yes Master. I never go anywhere without it."

"Good. Now, are you all ready?" Anakin asked the restof the younglings. He was quickly answered by a chorus of "Yes, Master Skywalker."

"Okay. Stay close to me." Looking at the handful of new Knights and Padawans in the room he quickly spoke to them. "I don't know how long it'll be before the Clones get in. If they breach the Temple before we take off, its our job to make sure the children survive. I don't care if it costs every last one of us our lives, they will live to see another day. So keep between them and the Clones. One more thing. There's a Sith at the head of the Army. If you see him, don't try and fight him. Just get the children to safety. Leave him to me. I'll try and hold him off for as long as I can." Once again, he was answered, "Yes, Master Skywalker."

Nodding his head, he was just about to give the order to move out when his comm went off. He practically went white seeing who it was comming him.

_________________​

Upon reaching the main Atrium of the Temple, Obi-wan Kenobi quickly sought out Master Yoda only to be intercepted by Master Windu. "Obi-wan! Over here. Master Yoda is trying to hold the Clones at bay by keeping the doors sealed. We've got a job for you. We want you to join Master Dralig in the second line of defenses. There's mostly only Padawans with a few Knights there. If we can't evacuate before the doors are breached, our only defense is to try and slow the Clones as much as possible. At least until we get as many Jedi out of the Temple as possible."

"Of course Master Windu. What about you?"

"I'll be with the first line."

The way in which Mace said that immediately spiked Obi-wan's concern. He looked at Mace very closely. "You don't believe you're going to survive, do you?"

"No, I don't. There's far too many out there. And Sidious hasn't been waiting this long just to fail now. I'll take as many with me as possible and delay the clones as long as I can. I'm not entirely comfortable with entrusting the evacuation of the younglings to Skywalker, but I suppose I don't really have much choice in the matter."

"You don't have to worry about Anakin. He knows who and what Palpatine is now. He won't let him manipulate him anymore. I trust Anakin with my life."

"Very well, Obi-wan. May the Force be with you."

"And with you Mace."

____________​

Captain Rex had clicked back into the main Command frequency. "Commander Cody. I've just remembered about a secret passage into the Temple that General Skywalker had told me about. Permission to take my men and assault through there sir?"

"How long would it take you to be in position Captain?" asked Cody.

"No more than 15 minutes Sir. My men and I can ensure that no Jedi will escape through it while hitting them with an attack from behind."

"Permission granted Captain. Report when in position."

"Yes, Sir." Clicking back to the battalion frequency, Captain Rex quickly ordered his men to move out while Commander Cody ordered the next battalion in line to move up. Saying a silent prayer to any and every deity he could think of, which was actually quite a few considering the number of planets he had been on, he and his men quickly marched to the Temple's little known back door. Grabbing the private commlink General Skywalker had given him, he quickly commed him, hoping beyond hope that he wouldn't be too late.

Anakin silently held up a finger and hushed the Crèche. He wasn't sure which side Rex was on at the moment and didn't want to risk him figuring out what was going on. At least not until he was sure he could trust him. "Captain. I hope you're not calling to ask me to surrender. I would have thought you knew me better than that."

"I do, General. Sir, I've spoken with my men. What the Chancellor ordered. It isn't right. You've fought beside us every day of this war. I owe my life to you on more than one occasion. Most of my men could say the same. I've moved my men out of the main assault column. We're marching to the passage you showed me Sir. We're awaiting your orders, General."

Anakin had lost count of the number of times his entire world had been flipped upside down today. What was this now? The sixth? Seventh? He felt good knowing that at least his men were refusing to turn on him. "Stand by Rex. We'll probably have you help cover the hanger. Let me check with Master Yoda or Master Windu." Grabbing his other comm, his official one, Anakin quickly reached out to Master Yoda. When there was no answer, he commed Master Windu. Thankfully, the Clone's jamming was much less effective inside the Temple.

"What is it Skywalker? The Clones have started to fire at the main doors with a turbolaser battery. They can't hold much longer."

"Master, I've just been contacted by Captain Rex and his men. They're refusing to turn on us sir. They're awaiting our orders."

"Can you trust them? How do you know that this isn't just a trap?" After all, Mace reasoned, his men were out there with Sidious, what makes Skywalker's any different?

"Master, you have to trust me on this. We can trust him. Rex is a good man. He won't betray us."

"Alright. I know the Clones think of each other as brothers. I want to have you station them with us in the front, to hold the Army at bay as long as possible. But I'm not sure they'd be comfortable with fighting their brother's like that. Have them cover the hanger bay and escort the younglings. If they're seen, maybe it'll look like they've captured them and they won't be fired on."

"Yes, Master." Anakin quickly relayed the instructions to Rex, who was visibly relived to know he wouldn't be asked to fight his brothers (though he and his men were prepared to if that's what their General had ordered). Having accomplished that, Anakin quickly began moving the children to the hangers. Just as the first younglings reached the hanger, the turbolasers finally broke through.

 

[SSgtC]

Across Coruscant, Bail Organa was receiving some very strange messages. It seems that a number of clones had attacked Senators. On the orders of their Jedi Generals! Unlike most Senators, Bail actually had good relations with the Jedi, counting Masters Yoda, Windu and Kenobi among his closest friends. Things just didn't add up. On top of that, the Chancellor had sent a very odd message shortly after the attacks had started. Something along the lines of, "I have taken personal control of our Clone Army and am preparing to crush the Jedi Rebellion." Bail was rarely ever confused, but he freely admitted he was now. He also couldn't seem to reach anyone at the Temple to find out what was going on. Right as he made up his mind to head to the Temple himself, his communicator went off. Once he saw who it was, he gave a huge sigh of relief. "Padme! You don't know how relived I am to hear from you. When I heard about the attacks, I was afraid they might have targeted you."

"What attacks are you talking about Bail? And why would they target me? I'll grant you, I've been an outspoken opponent of the war, but I highly doubt I'd be targeted in a terrorist attack," Padme answered, growing just a bit confused herself now.

"So you haven't heard then. Padme, the Chancellor issued a statement that the Jedi have turned on us. Ordered the Clones under their command to attack members of the Senate to stage a coup. Mon Mothma, Garm bel Iblis, Orn Free Taa and about 100 others have been killed. Palpatine stated that he has assumed personal control of the GAR and was leading an attack on the Jedi."

The news of so many of her fellow Senators being killed hit Padme like a ton of durasteel. "This couldn't be happening! An attack on the Senate and on the Jedi? What was Palpatine playing at?" Suddenly, as if a light grid had been illuminated directly over her, she saw it. When you put what Bail knew and what she knew together, Palpatine's plan was suddenly crystal clear.

"Are you still there Padme?"

"Yes, Bail, I am. I need you to listen carefully, I don't have much time. Palpatine isn't who we all thought he was. He's the Sith Lord the Jedi have been looking for. He's been playing the entire Galaxy for the sake of power. Palpatine ordered the attack on the Senators. They attacked me. But I was in a meeting with Master Kenobi. He and Anakin saved my life. The Clones attacked them as well. And now Palpatine is outside the Temple trying to kill everyone inside. Bail, if Palpatine convinces the Senate that the Jedi ordered the attack on them, what do you think would happen? The Senate would fall all over itself giving him even more power and direct control of the Army. Plus, it would destroy public opinion of the Jedi. He would have a free hand to do whatever he wanted."

"Dear lord," breathed Bail as what Padme said sank in. It all made sense now. The war, the way Palpatine kept accruing more and more power. "What have we done?"

"Bail, listen to me. There's still a chance. The Jedi have a plan to preserve the Order. As long as we have the Jedi, we're not powerless. But they're going to need help on the inside if they can't defeat Palpatine here and now. Almost the entire Army is outside the Temple right now. We're preparing to evacuate."

"'We'?'"

"I'm in the Temple. After the attack on me, Obi-wan and Anakin brought me to the Temple for safety. And Yoda wished to talk to me. But Palpatine attacked before we could meet."

"I see. Why don't we do this. I'm going to head off planet. Send me rendezvous coordinates. Perhaps we can come up with a plan to save the Republic."

"I will. Be careful."

"You as well Padme."

______________​

Jedi Master Plo Koon still couldn't believe that his men, the men who called themselves "Plo's Bros" had turned on him. Even despite the carbon scoring on his starfighter proving that they had. What had happened to cause this? He was utterly at a loss. Thank the Force he had received the warning message from Master Yoda mere seconds before his men opened fire. Only his Force Enhanced reflexes and natural skill as a pilot had saved him. It had broken his heart to fire on his men. But given no other options, he had.Though he had done his best to just disable their craft instead of outright killing them. Once he had gotten just a little breathing room, he had docked with his hyperdrive ring and shot into hyperspace. After a few more redirects and some back tracking, he'd head to the rendezvous point. He just hoped his fellow Jedi had gotten the warning in time. Sadly, he knew some hadn't as he had felt their presences in the Force wink out.

______________​

Ki-Adi-Mundi had been hiding in the bombed out ruins of the city on Mygeeto for hours now. Yoda's message had reached him just as he was about to lead his men in an another assault. While making his way to his ship, he had overheard a voice instruct a clone trooper to, "Execute Order 66." His immediate reaction was, "Not good." While Cereans were certainly not known for their athletic ability, he did have the Force on his side and used it to put on a burst of speed and clear the area. Too late. He had been spotted and his Marines, the men he had fought and bled beside, fired on him. Would have killed him too had he not reached the city ruins just then and lost them within. He could hear them out there still looking for him. He dare not ignite his lightsaber if any found him, it's distinctive snap-hiss would surely give him away. Seeing some of the Clones approaching, he used the Force and shifted some of the rubble about 200 yards away. It worked. The men converged on the spot. Momentarily distracted, Ki slipped out of the rubble and to a landing pad, appropriated a ship with a hyperdrive and burned into the sky. Destination: Tython.

_________________​

Depa Billaba, Jedi Master and High Council member knew she would not live out the day. She had gotten the warning from Yoda and immediately began preparing to escape. She and her Padawan, Caleb Dume, had boarded a shuttle and were just preparing to take off when the clones arrived and began to fire on them. Telling Caleb where to go and ordering him to take off, she rushed down the ramp and engaged the kriffing clones as they tried to kill them both. Sinking deeply into the Force, she let it guide her movements as she had for her entire life. The Force sang as she blocked shot after shot from the Clones. Just as Caleb reached orbit, a well aimed blaster bolt slipped through her defenses and hit her squarely in the chest. Her lightsaber dropping from her suddenly nerveless fingers, she fell to her knees, the clones pumping bolt after bolt into her. As she fell face first into the dirt, she used the last of her strength with the Force to send a comforting thought to her Padawan: There is no death, there is the Force. And then she was gone.

________________​

After disconnecting with Bail, Padme used the number Anakin had given her and reached out to Ahsoka. After what seemed an interminable delay, Ahsoka answered. "Oh thank the Force you're alive Ahsoka!"

"Padme, what is it? You look, sound and feel like you're in shock," the young Togruta said to her.

"I am a bit. Anakin wanted me to reach you. Chancellor Palpatine is a Sith. He's ordered the Clone Army to turn on the Jedi. They're attacking the Temple as we speak. He wants me to tell you that, 'they're going home.'"

"Wow. Ok. I'm packing now. Tell Skyguy I'll be there. Thank you, Senator. May the Force be with you."

Well, thought Padme, that's two calls down. Only about a thousand more to go. Force, she hoped she'd be able to accomplish some good here.

________________​

"Acknowledged Commander, moving in now," Captain Rex reported to Commander Cody. Ordering the forces under his command to move in on the command net, he then disabled the comm channel. Looking at General Skywalker outside the Temple Hanger he told him, "Well, hopefully that little performance buys us some time before they figure it out."

"I'm sure it well Rex. I can't thank you enough for this. I know it wasn't easy for you," Skywalker replied. "If there's anything I can ever do for you or your men, you have my word, it's yours."

"No sir. We're just doing what's right. Now lets get these kids out of here."

"Right. Leave a third of your men here to guard the hanger. The rest of the Order has been informed that you and your men are friendlies. Position another third along the route to the hanger from the Crèche and we'll use the other third for close escort. And tell the men, if they have to fire, use stun if they can. I don't want this on their conscience."

"Yes, sir. I've already told them sir. But thank you."

"Ok, I've got the kids from the 23rd level. There's another two children's dorms on levels 24 and 25.That'll be our job. I'll go with you just in case." Looking at the Knights and Padawans with him, he picked out two Knights to accompany him and ordered the rest to get the children on the shuttles and prepare to take off. What he really wanted to do just then however, was run into the Hanger and check on Padme; then rush down to the Atrium and fight alongside his fellow Jedi. Clamping down on his personal feelings for the moment, he headed back to the Crèche to get more Younglings.

______________​

As the doors to the Temple finally gave way, Yoda gathered the Force to him and flipped back into the first rank of defenders. Drawing his lightsaber he, along with the other Jedi, ignited their blades and prepared to defend their home. Surprisingly, the Clones didn't enter at a rush. Instead, Darth Sidious walked in. Alone. Upon seeing him, Yoda leveled his lightsaber at the Dark Lord and said, "Entered our home, unbidden you have. Leave it intact, you will not."

With a snarl, Sidious' lightsaber shot into his hand, it's blood red blade igniting with a snap-hiss. Giving a loud scream, he flew threw the air, straight a Master Yoda. Leaping to meet him, Yoda traded blow for blow with the Sith Master. Neither one gaining an advantage. The Master of Juyo dueling the Ataru Master. Both focused totally on the other. Only vaguely was either combatant aware that the Clones had now entered the Temple and a full scale battle had erupted.

_______________​

Obi-wan Could only watch helplessly as the Clones cut down Agen Koler and Eeth Koth. The battle had only just started and yet over 200 clones were lying dead on the floor of the Temple along with over 30 Jedi, among them several Masters. He could plainly pick out Mace's distinctive purple blade, right in the midst of the fighting. Mace's Vaapad style of fighting giving him an unpredictability that the Clones found hard to match. With a thud and a grunt, Yoda flew into the Column next to him, being on the receiving end of a massive Force Push from Palpatine. In a flash, Yoda was back up and bounding back into the fight. Literally flinging his lightsaber into and through the Clones, a small green ball of energy.

With a start, Obi-wan realized he could no longer see Sidious' red blade. The Force suddenly flaring with warning, Obi-wan's lightsaber was out and lit before he had even consciously recognized the danger. His blue blade intercepting a blast of Force Lightning milliseconds before it would have caught him squarely in the chest. Deflecting and redirecting it, he faced Sidious, the lightning arcing back on Sidious. Just as suddenly as it started, it stopped. Looking at Obi-wan with eyes of burning yellow, Sidious lunged at him, his lightsaber swinging in low before lunging up, Obi-wan's blade catching the attack and turning the red blade aside. The madness of Juyo against the impenetrable defense of Soresu. As Yoda had before him, Obi-wan dueled the Sith across the Atrium, completely focused on his opponent, waiting for the slightest opening to strike.

Sidious was in his glory. Never had he felt the Dark Side flow so strongly through him before. Seeing the Jedi laying dead on the floor before him gave him all the assurance he needed to know that the time was now. The day that the Sith would take up their rightful mantle as the Rulers of the Galaxy. Orchestrating from the shadows was all well and good, but this, open combat against the best the Jedi Order had to give, his lightsaber in his hand, this is how the Sith were meant to be, their power on display for all to see. It seemed as if every moment he spent in combat raised his powers ever higher. The Dark Side taking him to heights he could scarcely believe existed. As he battled Obi-wan, he couldn't help but smirk. The foolish Jedi actually believed he could win. He could crush him like an insect. Finally slicing Obi-wan's lightsaber in two, he was just about to deliver the coup de grace when suddenly, the Force screamed a warning at him and he flipped back, watching the green blade of Yoda's lightsaber sail through the spot he had just been in less than a second earlier.

Calling Agen Koler's lightsaber to his hand, Obi-wan watched as Sidious quickly cut down 5 Jedi in the space of a single heartbeat. The first line was getting thinner and thinner. He'd have to bring his Knights and Padawans into the fray. Just as he was about to give the order, his communicator went off. It was Anakin.

"Master, I've got all the Younglings in the shuttles and Master Nu has loaded all the computer data and the artifacts that can be moved as well. We're ready to go as soon as everyone gets here. Captain Rex and his men are rigging the corridors and walls with explosives to seal the way behind you and slow the GAR. I'm warming up all the shuttles and our fighters now."

"Well done Anakin! We're on our way. Sending the retreat signal now."

"May the Force be with you Master."

"And with you, Anakin."

As soon as Obi-wan's message was transmitted, the Jedi began pulling back. Though the price they had already paid was high. Of the nearly one thousand Jedi that had been in the Temple at the start of the battle, only about seven hundred were left. And more fell as they retreated. All told, six hundred and sixty-eight Jedi made it to the Hangers. Master Windu was not among them. Reaching the last doorway before the Hanger, a well placed shot from one of the Clones fried the firing circuit to the charges placed there. As engineers from the 501st worked feverishly to repair it, Mace stood his ground holding off the onslaught. His blade flashing, deflecting the fire of the clones back at them. Until a blast caught him in the leg. Using the Force to hold himself up, he refused to give in. Again and again he was hit. His reactions growing slower as the blasters took their toll. Collapsing just as the engineers from the 501st fixed the firing circuit, his last act was to Force Push the two clones through the doorway and trigger the blast with the Force. True to his word, Mace held the clones off for as long as he possibly could, then took out as many as he could as he became one with the Force.

Watching the Jedi get pushed deeper and deeper into their Temple, a satisfied smile spread across Palpatine's face. Dooku had certainly done a fine job in choosing Jango Fett to be the template for the Clones. They were more than up to the task. As the Clones pushed past the Archives, Sidious entered and froze in his tracks. "NOOOOOOOO!" He rushed to where the Sith artifacts should be. They were gone! The computers had been wiped as well. Giving a scream that shattered the screens of the computers in the room, he charged after the Clones. The Jedi must not be allowed to escape!

In the Hanger Bay, the surviving Jedi rushed into the shuttles, joined by the men of the 501st. Obi-wan Kenobi, with Anakin's help, was ensuring that the best pilots in the Order were flying the Jedi Starfighters that were in the Hanger. Yoda, observing this made his way to his personal fighter soon followed by Obi-wan and Anakin. Anakin of course first checked on Padme, assured her he was alright and made sure she was as well. He also made sure one of the Healers was with her just in case she went into labor.

Above the planet, the Republic Navy was given emergency orders to block any escape from the Temple. The confusion this caused was enormous as no one had explained to them what was going on down on the surface. They were relying on fragmented comm calls and incomplete reports on the holonet. As the ships began to shift their orbits and reposition, a stream of Delta-7s and Eta-2s began hitting every turbolaser emplacement they could find. They also targeted the ships engines to try and strand them. This attack caught the fleet by surprise with their shields still down. Though some of the Jedi Starfighters were hit, the vast majority, and the transports they were escorting, managed to escape into hyperspace. Reviewing records after the battle showed that the craft piloted by Yoda and Anakin Skywalker had accounted for 65% of the hits by themselves. It also showed that some of the ship's officers were very reluctant to fire on the Jedi. Their fates were swift, and final. The Galactic Republic had given way to the Galactic Empire.