Chapter 24 Revenge of the Sith Part 1 (Part 1)

Star Destroyer Negotiator, Outer Rim…

Recent events had taken Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker far from Coruscant, due to recent gains of territory and a shift in the balance of power as the Republic brought its incredible industrial might to bear the tide of the war was now far more in their favour.

But the war was far from over and the Separatists were not just going to give up. After a great Republic victory at Balmorra, General Grievous had begun a hard series of battles and invasions along the Outer Rim. Known rather unimaginatively as the Outer Rim Sieges he was pressing his forces against any Republic target he could find.

This had forced Haron Ordo to redeploy certain generals from other areas of the war to defend key positions, Kenobi and Skywalker however were moving around the vast space the Outer Rim covered to support other generals or protect targets that weren't already covered.

This meant a lot of travelling and hours in hyperspace but it was useful in giving Kenobi and Skywalker time to train their new apprentices.

In a training room of his flagship Obi-Wan was standing to the side while Kalifa stood in the centre of the room with her blue lightsaber out. Kenobi took off his robe and threw it over a table he had moved to the side and told her as he drew his own lightsaber.

"A Jedi must feel the force flowing through them, energy is not only everywhere but in everything. This is something you must understand when using the third form of lightsaber fighting, Soresu." Obi-Wan told her in a serious and stern voice. "It is purely defensive, designed to parry, deflect or redirect attacks away from yourself. Conserving your energy while making your opponent use up theirs, creating an unbreakable wall barrier for yourself."

Obi-Wan made sure he had Kalifa's full attention and thankfully he did before he ignited his own lightsaber. He waited a moment and Kalifa did the same before adopting the ready position with his arm holding the saber held high, nearly over his head and the other pointing forward. Lacking his experience, it took Kalifa a moment to awkwardly copy his stance and Kenobi nearly sighed but continued the lesson.

"It can be used as either a onehanded or two-handed grip. Whatever suits your situation but its greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. It will allow you to create a perfect defence if you master it, it can do only that. You can outlast opponents but not defeat them with Soresu alone. If you want to attack then you will need to learn another more aggressive form of lightsaber combat. I leave that decision up to you but for now you will learn how to protect yourself from not only blasters, but lightsaber wielding opponents as well." Obi-Wan told Kalifa who nodded and followed his moves closely as he began to train her in his art of lightsaber fighting…something that he had become so skilled at that Master Windu had once called him not just a master of Soresu but 'The' Master of Soresu.

They carried on like this for a couple of hours before moving on to her physical fitness and force augmentation and finishing up with some telekinesis practice.

- x -

On the Resolute, Anakin Skywalker's flagship which flew next to Obi-Wan's, Allara was now enduring the same training Ahsoka had when she started training with Anakin.

Allara was standing in the middle of the hanger bay with a platoon of troopers around her, Rex and Anakin standing to the side as they had often done with Ahsoka while training.

Allara had her yellow bladed lightsaber out and was standing ready. Anakin called out.

"The best way I can protect you, is to teach you to protect yourself. Begin."

The clone troopers around her began to fire their blasters albeit only on stun, Allara moved far too slowly to stop them all although to her credit she did manage to block a few of them before she was hit and went down. Waiting a moment since it was thankfully on its lowest setting, Allara slowly got to her feet and picked up her lightsaber.

"Again." Anakin said and she lit her saber while gritting her teeth and waited for the clones to start shooting. They did so and again she was able to block a few shots before getting stunned again. However, when she got up this time and lit her saber she spoke before Anakin could.

"Again."

The clones all shared a look of surprise but with a nod from Anakin they did as she asked and started shooting again. Stun blasts coming in fast from different directions but Allara kept deflecting them but this time lasted a little longer before she was taken down.

"Again." Anakin said with a small smile as he saw Allara get back on her feet and relit her lightsaber to go again. At his side Rex looked at the young girl with amusement.

"You found another one. Can't quite believe that sir." Rex said with an amused smile on his face which Anakin returned as he watched his new apprentice.

"She has a lot to learn but I think with time she will make a great Jedi." Anakin confided to Rex who nodded, not used to the girl that seemed to have taken Ahsoka's place on the ship yet but she was a member of their unit now. Settling in would take time but eventually she would be one of them.

Allara though didn't seem to be as comfortable with the clones as Ahsoka had been, she was a little bit uncertain around them as if not sure what to say. Anakin put this down to a lack of exposure to them but it wasn't like she disliked the clones just not sure how to talk to them.

Allara was a firebrand in nearly everything else Anakin thought with a smile, she had so much passion and drive that it was like a rocket was tied to her back. She constantly was up for any task or challenge he could devise for her and wouldn't rest until she completed it. He was somewhat concerned she might be setting herself up for a fall like this but at the same time real life experience would calm her down with time, but not without showing her just what her own limits were and his job was to help her recognise that and how she could overcome them.

Admiral Pellaeon chose that particular moment to appear and watched the scene with interest having not seen Jedi training before and found this highly informative although he didn't think it was quite right to have the girl shot at with stun blasts and continually put down till, she could defend herself longer. However, it wasn't his place to question the Jedi on how they trained their future members.

"General, we should be arriving at Boz Pity in a little under an hour." Pellaeon informed Anakin who nodded and told him.

"Good, I just wish we could pin down that coward and end him once and for all." Anakin said with frustration at how many times they seemed to have Grievous but the coward just ran away every time regardless of who he had to sacrifice in order to do it.

Him being dead would certainly make him feel better, Anakin thought with a rising sense of unease. Especially given the visions he and the other Jedi that had opened themselves up to their feelings had been getting recently.

They were vague and difficult to follow but they all felt an increasing sense of danger and coming betrayal. Some had seen what looked like blaster fire aimed at them and blue bolts like those used by the Clone Troopers too, it made all of them very nervous and encouraged other Jedi to think about what Fives had tried so hard to warn them of. Something that few seemed to want to believe was even possible.

Anakin wished he could be ignorant of this sometimes as it continued to eat away at him, he had Rex, Jesse and a bunch of his own clones remove their own chips and they didn't seem any the worse for it but most of the Jedi hadn't done the same.

He only hoped that they still had time to stop these visions from coming to pass but at the same time he doubted it.

Felucia, Outer Rim Territories…

Anakin and Obi-Wan weren't the only ones who were at that moment training their apprentices, on Felucia where she had been assigned to deal with a Separatist invasion, Aayla Secura was doing the same.

Lali Oyun was standing in the sweltering heat of Felucia with only a tank top and a pair of pants on with comfortable sensible boots. She had the same leather headdress as her master now but had her lightsaber out with its green blade humming in the air. Aayla had her blue lightsaber in hand too but they were not sparring today.

Instead, she was going to teach her apprentice something she had learned inadvertently from Skywalker and that Tuwan had helped her refine.

"Now let your mind clear as you lose yourself in the movement. Exercise your mind as well as your body." Aayla said calmly to her padawan as she gave her the introductory lessons in moving meditation. She gave a practical demonstration that Lali was eager to copy albeit slowly since she was still new to this. Her Ataru was very fast and acrobatic which made using it for Moving Meditation a little difficult as you could easily hit something. It could be done but only when someone was making sure nothing was actually in danger at least at first, to make this easier Aayla had begun to teach Lali traditional Shien to increase her defensive abilities and help her find another form to use that was safer at least when under heavy fire.

Still for now Lali was using her highly acrobatic Ataru in the wide clearing near their base camp which Aayla had created for her. She kept an eye on her pupil to make sure she wasn't going to hurt herself or anyone else as she moved around and let herself go deeper into the force.

Aayla personally was surprised to find herself enjoying this, teaching she meant. It was she thought with a smile very rewarding to pass on what she had learned to another and prepare Lali for the day that she would go out into the galaxy on her own. She only hoped that she was able to make sure that Lali learned everything she needed to learn about not just the galaxy and the force but about herself as well.

Especially about herself Aayla thought knowing her apprentice was going to face some big challenges in the future and would need not only to be strong to resist all the temptations and pain that might be coming her way but that she would actually believe in herself, had the confidence to know that she could rise to face whatever challenge came her way.

Bespin, Outer Rim…

Djinn Altis was sitting in his office while he reviewed their progress so far.

When Grandmaster Yoda had warned him of the potential Sith overthrowing the Republic and this Sith Lord coming after them, he had to take that seriously.

So, for over a year now he had been working to prepare for this eventuality, acquiring more ships for his people and moving most of them to another planet far from the regular space routes and hidden from view. Only he and maybe three others here knew the location as the children, families and younger members would be safe if the Sith ever came after him and his friends.

The only reason that he and the others were staying was to act as a potential recruitment point for those that might need their help. Changing their identities and moving to a new city in the clouds they had hidden all trace of their former identities, posing as the staff of this city to hide from view.

It wasn't perfect and he had the people already in hiding set up a new hiding place on another planet that he didn't know about should their existing one be compromised. All this secrecy was eating away at him especially as it kept them from doing the aid work that they loved doing…but at the same time he could see the darkness that seemed to be growing every second and just hoped his preparations had been enough.

Coronet, Corellia…

The Altisian Jedi were not the only ones who had taken Yoda's warning seriously, in Coronet the capital of Corellia, the Corellian Jedi or Green Jedi as they were known too had been making any preparations that they felt appropriate for a potential crisis.

Their public buildings were still open but secretly a number of safehouses had been established around Corellia for them to hide in and Nejaa Halcyon, one of their masters had managed to establish a hidden alliance with the system's senator Garm Bel-Iblis who like them had considerable worries about the future in regards to the Republic.

It might have been wise to leave Corellia but their own sense of patriotism would never let them do that nor leave any force sensitives who lived on planet who had yet to be discovered.

If the worst came, they would go underground but hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Jedi Temple Site, Auratera…

On the hidden world of Auratera Yoda's team was continuing to work on the temple's construction.

It was a long process but after months here the buildings were starting to take shape although they were completely bare for the moment and they were still sleeping in their nearby parked ship.

But the temple was taking shape and would be big enough to hold hundreds of Jedi with room for expansion if needed. Their time here had been relaxing despite of the heavy workload as the light side of the force energised them and made them feel much better about the darker state of the wider galaxy.

Great Library, Ossus…

Celeste Morne woke to another day on Ossus, another day were she and her team continued to explore and restore the Great Library Temple, guided largely by her memory of the place.

Walking out of the ship that was still acting as their base while the restored the Temple building, she looked up proudly as the building's structure was now reinforced and as stable as it had been during her time. She walked into the main atrium and although it still showed signs of the ages that had passed the temple was at last beginning to be restored.

She looked over and saw Rachi Sitra who was carefully examining the most recent discoveries. Six holocrons, some of which dated back over five thousand years or more; wisdom and experiences from ancient masters like Trayos Toreggen, Ooroo, Memit Nadill, Tharis Orne, Sar Agorn and Hellencha the Jedi Treasure Hunter.

And that was just for starters Celeste thought with pride as they took the utmost care in preserving the texts and datacards they found here in the Hall of Knowledge while doing the same with relics and holocrons in the Chamber of Antiquities. It was slow going but they were making new discoveries every day and when this war they were fighting ended Celeste was looking forward to more Jedi coming here and with time after getting this library repaired, they could travel out across the planet and look at the other former Jedi sites that were scattered around the planet. Not to mention help the Ysanna who were being a huge help in this endeavour she thought with a smile, glad they could help them with medical treatments and some modern technology to improve their daily lives.

"Celeste." A voice called out and she saw Maks Leems coming over looking rather excited about something. They had been here for over a year and a half now; her team were now her friends and she smiled at the Gran Jedi Master and her apprentice Whie who stayed close to her side.

"Good morning, Maks, can I assume the restoration of the southern wing is going well?" Celeste asked and Maks nodded.

"Very well, steady as durasteel now." Maks said with a smile before she got to the reason that she had sought her out. "Myself and Sori were checking out the wing to see what might be left there and we found this small chamber lined with crystal. Its strange crystal though like the force itself is infused into it and when you look into it there is a hypnotic effect. Nearly got us both, do you know what it is?"

Celeste blinked before telling her.

"Yes, I heard of this before the supernova. Come I'll explain when we get there." Celeste said, so she and Maks went back to the newly repaired southern wing. Sori sensed them approach and smiled as she gestured to the open door.

Peering inside Celeste was smiling with awe as the intricately carved crystal covered the walls and seemed to change colour as you looked at it. It really was quite hypnotic she thought, looking away before she was caught in it. Amazed it had survived the supernova really, a testament to the master that had designed and built it.

"This was called the Room of Shifting Crystal. Master Ood Bnar created it." Celeste said to her two colleagues as she explained the room's origin and purpose. "The crystal has been infused with the force and adjusted to help bring about a deep vision state, deeper than any a normal chamber could create that would give far clearer and deeper visions. It was just about finished when…when Exar Kun betrayed us. We never got to test it." She said with grief on her face as she remembered those harsh days before closing the door.

"We'll leave it alone for now. At least till we are sure it's safe." Celeste said sadly before leaving to check out the rest of the south wing while Maks and Sori shared a look of concern before doing the same. The temptation to use the chamber was there but who knew what they might see or if they would be able to control it?

Both Jedi Masters agreed it was best not to try it till they were sure they knew it both worked and that it was safe to use.

Military Command Headquarters, Coruscant…

"So, in summary, the Outer Rim Sieges are going very well." Master Mace Windu said as he and a group of military officers sat around a table with Haron at the head of it, opposite to Ordo.

"Indeed, hopefully we can soon get back to prosecuting the war properly rather than chasing Grievous around the Outer Rim." Tarkin said from the side where he was sitting. His cold and passive-aggressive words didn't endear him to anyone not that he cared in the slightest. At his side his new aide Captain Bili Vist sat there nodding his head in agreement. Tarkin had certainly found himself a loyal lapdog Haron thought with derision, vicious too he thought knowing the man had managed to 'arrange' the deaths of any potential rivals he might have had.

"I am more concerned with the purpose of these raids." Haron said from the head of the table which brought all their attention back to him. "As you yourself said Master Windu they are going very well for us. Not for the Separatists. Grievous is using up assets doing this for very little gain and there have been reports of some kind of build-up of assets elsewhere but no idea of the actual target." Haron said before turning to General Gascon who from his own seat added his own credits on the situation.

"Indeed, a sizable taskforce of ships has been pulled away from several fronts but not showing up on others or in Grievous' fleet. Intel suggests that he is planning a large raid of some kind against a high value Republic target but we don't know where." Gascon said.

"Which also might explain the Outer Rim Sieges." Admiral Maarisa Zsinj said, 'Ace of the Spacelanes' as she was known had a knack for strategy and knew the Outer Rim well. "To divert generals and assets away from a potential target."

"But where?" Admiral Aldanna said with frustration, none of them had an answer to give him.

"There are too many potential targets he could go after. Far too many to cover them all." Haron said with a considering look before sitting back in his chair for a moment to consider what to do. "Send out a general message to all Core World aligned with the Republic and having sufficient facilities or importance that it might merit the Separatists attention. Without more information that is all we can do without stretching ourselves too thin. With that I think this meeting is adjourned." Haron said, giving his order.

The officers around the table nodded and went to get up so they could attend to their own business including Haron who went back to his office with his bodyguards. Ahsoka at his side after taking notes during the meeting, he turned to her and gave her a small smile.

"I shan't be needing you for some time. Take the afternoon off." Haron told her and she smiled before thanking him and left his office to do whatever she did in her off hours. He didn't pry, such things were her own affairs and he knew how to reach her if he had too.

Sitting at desk he pulled out his private data pad and went to work however this was nothing to do with the Republic. No, he thought with pride, he was completing his work on the Mandalorian Special Operations Units he was crafting.

He had designed a highly intensive program that would push the recruits to the limit but it would make them some of the best warriors Mandalore had ever had. Not only that but he was giving them better quality equipment than was normal for their people, including their own version of the modular weapon system used by the Clone Commandoes. Rather than carry around a dozen different weapons they only needed to carry a few attachments to fix to their rifle and they had grenade launcher, a sniper rifle etc. While his new special operators would be trained to use all kinds of weapons this would give them a major advantage.

He was going to commence the program the moment he got back to Reijar but as hours passed and a chime came at the door, he called out for them to enter and saw Ahsoka had returned. Ahsoka looked at her pad and told him.

"Fenn Rau is here to see you." She reported to him and Haron nodded, having expected him.

"Bring him in." Haron told her and she opened the door for him. The proud Mandalorian pilot walked in with their armoured flight suit variant. He saluted like a good warrior and Haron nodded.

"Welcome Fenn Rau, please sit." Haron said, gesturing to the seat on the other side of the desk. Fenn dutifully took the seat. Haron had an idea to prepare themselves for the future and it needed someone of his obvious piloting skills. Not only would they create the best warriors to fight on the ground but in the skies/space too.

"Our new fleet is taking shape back home." Haron said getting straight down to business. "We have all kinds of ships but if we are going to compete with other space faring powers then we are going to need good fighter pilots. Pilots who fly as well as our warriors fight on the ground." Haron told him which was no lie as although they had many good ones already there was no formal training that would enable people to hone their skills to become professional pilots.

"So, I intend to open a flight school, a place where our people can learn to be the best flyers they can be. I want you to set this up and run it as its headmaster. You will have complete control of the training program, selection process in regards to staff and students and what location you want it to be in." Haron told him, making the offer plain and simple.

Fenn was astonished as was Ahsoka, it was a good choice as Fenn was one of their best pilots and thanks to the Clone Wars and his service in it, had a great deal of experience. Not to mention he was regimented and a leader.

Good things to have as a teacher.

Fenn was astonished and not sure what to say given the great honour he was being receiving; it was like a dream come true. He could shape the next generation of Mandalorian pilots and build and operate his own flight school.

But before he could give an answer, they were rudely interrupted by an alarm blaring!

All of them were fast to get to their feet as they saw an information alert, priority one coming in on the display screens all around them.

A Separatist Fleet had appeared right above Coruscant! Not only that but it was led by General Grievous himself!

Well, Haron thought with his teeth gritting against each other, I guess we know where he was planning to strike now.

However, knowing the situation was bad given how many units were already absent from Coruscant, time was of the essence. He rushed to the main command room with Ahsoka, Fenn and his warriors behind him to find it in chaos. The suddenness of the surprise attack especially since it hadn't come from any of the hyperspace routes that they monitored made Haron realise there must be a route they didn't know about probably from the direction of the Deep Core. But that was something they could worry about another time and instead of wasting any more of it, Haron took charge.

"Order All Cruiser Squadrons between the Separatists and the planet to interdict any enemy landings." Haron shouted to the room to make his voice heard over the chaos and its authority meant it wasn't questioned. He looked out at the security board and saw that the situation was bad but not as bad as it could have been. Haron had just in case of a sneak attack had made a standard order to all Republic squadrons that at least half of them had to keep their shields up just in case they were ambushed at any one time.

So, while Grievous had managed to take out hundreds of ships in the initial moments of the attack many were still operational and able to fight back. However, seeing that the Separatists had a very large fleet at their disposal Haron realised reinforcements were going to be needed. The Seps though were jamming their transmissions so he was going to have to do this the old-fashioned way.

"Order Admrial Dylo to detach one of his Carrack-class cruisers to leave the system and communicate the situation to any local friendly units. The Open Circle Fleet too, they will be close enough that they might render assistance." Haron said with a frown as he knew they now had to hold off the Separatists till Anakin and Kenobi could get here.

"Sir, reports coming in. Landing Ships approaching the surface. Hundreds of them." One of the junior comm officers told him and Haron grimaced as the tactical map was updated. A considerable number of droids had managed to make it through before the cruisers had managed to close the gap. Not to mention a good number of Vulture Droid fighters and Hyena Bombers.

"Fenn, take command of the aerial battle. Draw in all planetary fighters that you can raise, take out those droid fighters and have the Jedi scramble what pilots they have and harass enemy ground units." Haron said before going through his mind to remember what generals he had on the planet. Fenn meanwhile nodded and went off to do his duty.

"Have General Windu take charge of units protecting the Senate Building, Master Yoda will command units protecting the Jedi Temple. Both are likely to be main targets. Have Generals Tinn and Fisto head up to join the space battle." Haron commanded but still had one front to assign, fortunately he had just the person for the job.

"Ahsoka, take command of the units protecting the Military Command Centre and the ship docks. We can't afford to lose either." Haron said to his assistant who had been looking at the boards in shock, never having believed the Separatists would manage to strike Coruscant itself. She did however blink in surprise when he gave her the command of roughly a third of the Coruscant Guard.

However instead of questioning him she nodded and went to take her position. Haron watched her leave before turning back to the screen and wondering just what the hell Grievous was trying to achieve here? Despite a great deal of damage being caused to mostly civilian buildings he hadn't brought enough droids or ships to take and hold Coruscant especially as the Republic would bring overwhelming numbers to free it.

To cause destruction and sow fear? Haron considered as he checked through the options. Possibly and most likely but no…Haron thought it couldn't be just that…not with the resources being deployed here.

What else? He thought with concern. What wasn't he seeing?

- x -

Ahsoka Tano with her twin sabers out was enjoying leading an army again as they charged into battle.

Or rather fought defensively to prevent them going any further she thought with rugged determination. Looking out across the devastated streets of Coruscant as the air was filled with fighters duelling in fierce aerial combat while on the ground the Separatist army was drawing closer.

Ahsoka was concerned as she wasn't used to fighting with the Coruscant Guard, they were clones and trained to the same standard as the 501st but had far less combat experience. But they were professional she thought and gave her orders.

"Rocketeers in the upper floors, over there." She ordered Captain Marks, who was her number two it seemed, pointing to the high floors of some of the buildings that lined the street. "Wait till the enemy units are passed then level the armoured vehicles traveling at the rear of the column." Ahsoka said, knowing she and the regular troopers could handle the droids if the rocketeers if the other guys dealt with the armoured units but she wasn't done yet. "Then have snipers in the adjacent buildings further along. Pick off as many units as possible."

"Yes General." Marks told her and that took some getting used to Ahsoka thought with uneasy. Being called General…Anakin had always been the general and she the commander.

Now, she was the one leading.

It felt…strange she thought as she ignited her sabers while behind her the clones drew their blasters and pointed them at the enemy. The lines of battle droids coming up the street made her think of her first battle and how clumsy and incapable she'd been back then.

Well, Ahsoka thought as she regained some of her swagger. Not anymore.

The droids approached and opened fire, her clones responded a split second later and she started deflecting blaster backs back towards the droids…leading from the front and hopefully inspiring the troops many of whom had never served with a Jedi.

Not that she was one anymore but it didn't matter as long as they fought their hardest.

The Separatist column kept advancing despite their fire cutting them down, slowly coming forward without any thought of self-preservation. It was their usual tactic as they were droids and could always be replaced.

Above Fenn Rau commanded what fighters could be raised to fight in the sky, keeping her own forces from being strafed, that was blessing Ahsoka thought with relief as she kept deflecting the enemy fire back at them. Just a little closer, Ahsoka thought to herself with a smile as she saw the tanks and vehicles that were bringing up the rear. Just a bit more.

The Rocketeers aimed their missile launchers at the tanks in the rear of the formation and now they were passed them. They fired the moment was right and missiles streamed through the air, slamming into the backs of the tanks which exploded with some force.

This effectively blocked the road with their wrecks and now the snipers on the adjacent buildings started firing at the droids below while the normal infantry clones continued to fire.

Ahsoka had learnt this tactic from the Eternal Alliance Holocron, the Outlander had used it in his various campaigns and it was still excellent now she thought with satisfaction.

Still there was a lot of work to do she thought as she started cutting through the droids that were managing to get close enough to them.

- x -

Above in the sky Fenn was moving his Fang-class Interceptor around the towers of Coruscant and shooting down Vulture droids whenever he could.

He was still going over the offer the Mandalore had made him, to create his own flight academy! That was the sort of thing that men like him dreamed of! To be able to train and teach the future generation of combat pilots and prepare his people for the wars to come.

Downing another Vulture droid, he had to turn his attention back to the battle and decided to accept the offer the moment this invasion was repulsed.

- x -

One Hour into the Battle…

From the Command Room Haron could see up to date information on where the Separatists were and what they were doing and saw to his confusion that despite the fact they were marching, no attempts were really being made to push the attack. No attempts to take the Senate Building, the Military facilities or the Jedi Temple. The most important buildings on the entire planet around here.

It was a diversion, Haron realised and as he thought that a report came in that Grievous himself was trying to abduct the Chancellor. A likely story Haron thought with derision as he knew who was really pulling the strings but had no idea just what the end game was. Hold the Republic ransom? He thought but shook his head, more likely to create fear which would help Palpatine's rise to supreme power.

He could see it was likely going to work as the sight of a huge Separatist fleet appearing right on the capital's doorstep undetected was going to terrify the Republic, something that hadn't happened in thousands of years. There was nothing he could do about that and wondered briefly if he could allow or even engineer Palpatine's death by firing on the ship he was being held on when Grievous did manage to flee with him but knew that wasn't going to happen. The ship's captains would never do it if they knew the Chancellor was on board and he knew that information would no doubt reach them due to the fact Tarkin was standing not too far away much to his great displeasure.

Still with depression he turned back to the battle and saw in ground and in space things were going well. On the ground Ahsoka, Windu and Yoda had things well in hand while in space things were a little dicier as while Fisto and Tinn had managed to hold the Separatists off and Tinn had even managed to capture a Providence-class star ship when his own cruiser was crippled, but it was still raging as they simply didn't have enough ships to push the Separatists out of Coruscant's orbit he thought with frustration.

And to add to his worries he learned from a dispatch that was handed him that Palpatine had indeed been 'kidnapped'. He was currently on his way to Grievous' flagship the Invisible Hand.

Things are just getting better aren't they Haron thought sarcastically before a welcome sight appeared on the tactical screen regarding the space battle.

The Open Circle Fleet!

Thank the Merlin Haron thought with a smile, now Anakin and Kenobi had brought their ships here he now had the force he needed to deal with the Separatists. It was an insane number of ships up there Haron thought seeing there was easily about three hundred ships a side and mostly large warships too.

The biggest battle of the Clone Wars.

Haron knowing he would be expected to try and save Palpatine ordered with great reluctance.

"Order a path to be made for Generals Kenobi and Skywalker to the Invisible Hand. No one attacks that ship till we have the Chancellor off." Haron ordered.

"Yes sir." The various personnel said and with immediate efficiency went about giving his orders while he told another officer. "Have Admiral Pellaeon deploy his cruisers to the following points; we've got a battle to win." Haron said, turning his attention back to the battle.

- x -

Two Hours Later…

The Separatist Fleet had been routed and the survivors on the run, Haron stood on the landing platform with Windu who gave him a nod in greeting. Given their mutual animosity it was a surprising gesture of respect which Haron returned evenly. It was a big improvement given how they had been with each other through most of the war so far.

Listening to the rumours he heard that not only was Count Dooku dead but that they had crashed half of the enemy flagship when making their escape. Haron would honestly have never believed those rumours if he hadn't known just what Anakin and Kenobi got up too when they went on missions together and Ahsoka who was standing close by looked annoyed that she had missed it, even if she had been doing a vital task when they had been mounting their daring rescue.

Behind them a crowd of senators had assembled along with Ahsoka, Mace and Haron standing at the front of the crowd as the air bus carrying Palpatine, Anakin and Kenobi arrived. Haron saw Palpatine get off and Anakin had some conversation with Obi-Wan before Anakin looked annoyed but only in a playful way before he walked out to join them alongside his droid R2-D2. A short distance away Padme stood with a warm smile on her face and Haron could feel joy just radiating off her, but also a new strong presence in the force centred around her. Or rather inside her, Haron realised with surprise.

Pregnant, he thought and wondered just what the pair were going to do now. He highly doubted that they would give up the baby but it would be a difficult issue if it came out Haron thought but decided to see if they asked for help as after all it was their family. Ahsoka at his side could sense the change in Padme as well and smiled as she felt her joy in it.

"Chancellor Palpatine. Are you alright?" Mace Windu asked Palpatine as he finally reached them, drawing their attention back to him. Mace Windu did seem to be respectful but it was still rather matter of fact about it and lacked any real deference. The Chancellor didn't seem to notice or care to call him out on it and instead replied to his question.

"Yes. Thanks to your two Jedi Knights. They killed Count Dooku, but I am afraid that General Grievous has escaped once again." Palpatine said looking somewhat annoyed at that point.

"General Grievous will run and hide as he always does. He's a coward." Mace Windu said with certainty as years of dealing with him had given the Jedi a good idea of how he operated.

"But with Count Dooku dead, he is now the leader of the droid army. And I assure you, the senate will vote to continue the war as long as Grievous is alive." Palpatine said almost laying down a challenge for them.

"Then the Jedi Council will make finding Grievous our highest priority." Mace Windu said and Haron nodded in agreement.

"I have already gotten our intelligence units on the lookout. If that coward sticks his head up, we will find him." Haron told the Chancellor. The man turned to him and nodded, smiling again.

"Yes, hopefully it will allow us to finally deal with him and thank you Duke Ordo for taking personal command of Coruscant's defence. I am told casualties would likely have been much higher if not for your actions." Palpatine said with a grateful smile which creeped Haron out a bit but he nodded.

"It is my duty Chancellor, which I must now return too." Haron said, knowing he would have to make sure Grievous didn't use them pulling units from other places as an excuse to attack them again. He gave a slight nod and left. He gave Anakin and Senator Organa another one as he passed although it was more genuine. They returned it and Haron meanwhile as he climbed onto the speeder and was returned to the Headquarters building thought deeply on events.

If Dooku was actually dead then Palpatine's plan must now be almost at completion. The reforms being drafted were clearly intent on increasing his own personal power in anticipation of him taking all the senate's influence and they would pass without any problems; the Senate was all but giving Palpatine everything he wanted and more and with that complete the Sith lord would likely be on the market for a new apprentice as well.

Anakin Haron sighted, knowing that the time when the future would be decided had arrived.

He went back to his office and meditated for a while and could feel the oppressive presence of the dark side growing stronger and stronger. It had been slowly creeping up over the course of the war but now it seemed to be accelerating.

Haron began to feel very tense and worried. The time when Palpatine would make his move was almost here and they still had no plan to stop it. He honestly was about to get up and go to the Senate building and kill the man himself or at least try too but almost like a sign of the force itself a message popped up from Luna.

He was surprised but when he read its contents, he raised that to astonished.

Don't go after Palpatine, I had another vision and it showed us attacking him will only bring disaster.

The time is close, be ready to run. He must be preparing to get rid of all his enemies. Tie up all loose ends before leaving.

It almost made Haron smile as he was again impressed at her ability at foresight and better yet knowing him.

His worries remained but there was little he could do about it although he did do one thing, he accessed his private communications network and sent a message to all their people that were currently working for the Republic and gave them the order to return home immediately.

Better not to leave any of their people in harm's way and get them and the crucial knowledge they had back to where it would be needed.

Three Days Later…

Haron and Ahsoka were taking some time off in the morning to spar with Anakin and help in training Allara. Standing on one of the landing platforms Allara was sparring with Ahsoka who was not pulling her punches against the younger girl. Anakin never had during her training and she wasn't going to go easy on Allara now.

Allara, Haron thought was a touch arrogant but was starting to learn humility as Anakin and Ahsoka both showed her just how much she had to learn.

She would do fine Haron thought, wondering what he had to look forward too when he went back home to help train his own children.

But when he drew the Darksaber and Anakin drew his lightsaber, Haron immediately knew something was wrong.

Anakin was not himself; his mind was distracted and his moves sloppy. Haron realised that immediately when he was able to land a hard punch to his mid-section and knock his lightsaber out of his hand.

"What's wrong?" Haron said, seeing that Ahsoka and Allara were talking and distracted so he and Anakin could speak privately for a moment who was winded from the punch. He stared intently and Anakin, honestly desperate for some advice admitted the problems he was confronted with.

"The Jedi want me to spy on the Chancellor. After he names me his personal representative on the Council." Anakin said bitterly, angry at the request but Haron saw things more clearly and told him.

"You do realise that is exactly the same thing as what Palpatine wants you to do on the Jedi Council?" Haron asked him which made Anakin blink in surprise before Haron sighed, clearly Anakin still saw through rose-tinted glasses in regards to Palpatine and explained things plainly.

"Anakin, Palpatine meets with Master Yoda and members of the Jedi Council on a daily basis. He can call a meeting with them any time he likes due to his position." Haron said with a slightly annoyed look on his face. "The only reason he would put someone on the Jedi Council is to spy on them whenever they meet, he's just being more subtle about it. At least the Jedi Council is being honest about what they are asking of you. As soon as Grievous dies it will be expected that Palpatine relinquishes his emergency powers. If he refuses the Jedi will be obliged to remove him from office, the Jedi Order is a threat to him now and he is looking for anything that might prevent that."

Anakin looked stunned, especially as it seemed so obvious when someone said it like that and he honestly was ready to kick himself when Haron explained it. Padme had even said some of the other senators were asking when power would return to the Senate rather than stay exclusively with the Chancellor. He knew Palpatine loved his office and would not give it up without a struggle, of course he would want someone in a position to warn him if they were about to make a move against him.

Anakin honestly was so confused now as he had no idea just what to do. He didn't want to believe the Chancellor would have him spy on the Council but then again, he thought as he recalled previous talks with the Chancellor, he had asked him sometimes quite probing questions on what the Order was doing and Anakin had told him since it had seemed innocent or important enough at the time. Palpatine had been using him and he had never even realised it.

For all he had learned, he was still so easily manipulated Anakin thought with self-derision. How had he not seen this? He wondered and could only think it was because of his recent visions of Padme and his terror at losing her. Seeing Haron looking at him intently he finally admitted that if only to hopefully get some useful advice.

"I…I've been having visions of the future." Anakin admitted, Haron merely raised an eyebrow as he waited for Anakin to elaborate. "Padme is going to die in childbirth."

That was a big surprise to Haron who was stunned for a moment before thinking on the situation and telling him.

"Are you sure these are visions and not just nightmares? I mean does Padme have any health conditions?" He asked wondering if a pre-existing condition might explain her dying in child birth or if it was merely Anakin's fears playing on his mind. Anakin looked angry at the question and told him almost shouting.

"No! I'm sure." Haron however did not react to it and instead just stared at him.

"Sit down." Haron said, suddenly becoming very stern and Anakin was confused but Haron wasn't taking any shit now and repeated with a stern cold voice. "Sit down."

Anakin was still angry and about to refuse the command but he reluctantly did so as Haron stared him down. Haron sighed again before telling him.

"I know how you are feeling." Haron said bluntly, this feeling all too familiar to him, Anakin looked ready to interrupt but Haron reminded him of a key fact Anakin had apparently forgotten. "I'm married Anakin with four children and Din and Lelia. You think I don't understand the fear that you are going through? About not only losing your wife but of being father? The responsibility, the demands, the fear? Of course, I understand." Haron told him with brutal honesty.

"When my wife and I were having our first child I was so afraid of losing her, of losing our son." Haron said continuing his lecture. Not liking to remember that time but the joy of holding his son for the first time was still crystal clear in his mind. "One of my best friends went through the same thing when he became a father to his son. You are not alone in this Anakin; I think every man goes through this when we are faced with fatherhood for the first time." Haron told him with a small smile now as Anakin dropped the anger and was now confronting the thing that was really making him afraid. Aside from the visions.

"How do you cope with it?" Anakin asked him with great uncertainty, not having anyone else to ask that had gone through it no-one else that was around anyway. Haron smiled and told him.

"With this sort of thing there are no simple fixes. You can reassure yourself with facts but the fear will needle away at you. All you can do is be there as best you can." Haron told Anakin before laying out the situation. "Padme is a healthy young woman, with no existing medical conditions. She has her own bodyguards and lives on a planet with the most advanced medical care available and the money to pay for it. Even if she went home, she would still have the best medical care available but also her family and a whole planet of people ready to protect her. More crucially though she has you. It is almost unheard of for women to die in childbirth in this day and age, unless her situation were changed by something there should be no reason to worry." Haron told him and then drew on a story that had been passed down since Revan's time to try and make him see his visions might not come true.

"Have you ever heard of Jolee Bindo?" Haron asked, surprising Anakin who had been deep in thought and he nodded, knowing he was one of Revan's famed companions. "Well, when he was still learning to be a Jedi, he met another Jedi Padawan named Andor Vex. He apparently had the force 'swirling' around him, many Jedi took that to mean he had a great destiny ahead of him and unfortunately so did he. He began to obsess over it and thought it made him invulnerable. One day while they were travelling, they were boarded by a Dimean warship. Nasty people but the moment Andor is brought before their warlord Kraat he starts making demands that they free him now and don't they know who he is. Well, it doesn't take long for Kraat to get tired of this and so he grabs Andor by the throat and throws him down the ship's exhaust shaft." Haron said pausing before he continued while Anakin listened.

"Well apparently Andor hit something crucial on the way down and all of a sudden, the ship's alarms start ringing. Jolee managed to escape but the crew and Kraat didn't. He dies and the Dimeans fall in anarchy as a result, a century of infighting before dying out after a bloody civil war. Changed the political future of the whole sector for centuries to come. Quite a destiny but if he hadn't believed in it and his own invulnerability then it likely wouldn't have happened. His own actions made it happen; the future Anakin isn't set. It can still be changed." Haron said trying to make Anakin see that just because you believed in a prophesy didn't mean it would come true.

He remembered his own experience with such things and how Voldemort had brought about his own destruction by believing in a prophesy even though he hadn't known the full contents. Anakin's vision seemed to him likely the same, the self-fulfilling kind. It was also possible that Palpatine would try and kill Padme to make sure Anakin turned to the dark side.

Haron could feel this was important, a shatterpoint or certainly a major part of the future to come and he then decided that maybe he could offer Anakin another option.

"If you and Padme are willing, she could come to Reijar for the rest of her pregnancy." Haron offered, hoping this was the right thing to do.

Anakin was stunned, that was unexpected. Haron was offering his own home to act as a safe haven for Padme till their baby was born. To actually hide her within their space till everything was settled. However well-intentioned the offer though Anakin had some questions.

"Is it safe? Are there medical facilities?" He asked, Haron just looked at him with a deadpan expression before he told him.

"Of course, we have medical facilities, the best quality ones around and she would be protected by an army of Mandalorian warriors in reinforced stronghold. You could even send Ahsoka and Rex to guard her if you like. I don't see how she could be safer than that." Haron said with some annoyance. As if they wouldn't have medical facilities, I mean really Haron thought with irritation.

Anakin was immediately torn, he wanted to stay as close to Padme as he could to make sure she was safe but at the same time it was seemingly the answer to his worries. Whether Padme would agree or not was another question Anakin thought. But first he thought with some trepidation he had to meet the Chancellor at the Opera tonight. Wondering just what the old man was up to now he had started to realise how much the Chancellor had been manipulating him.