Saga Concentrate on the here and now. * AU* Updated April, 2008

Disclaimer?George owns it, you are reading the work of an attempt to feed a bunny

Title: Concentrate on the here and Now
Author(s): Ocelotl
Timeframe: TPM-- first 5 minutes AU- changes outcome of TPM
Characters: Qui-Gon, Obi Wan, Maul, Dooku, Palpy
Genre: AU TPM
Keywords: TPM, AU-- Maul survives, Sidious Falls

Summary: This story follows a what if based on the first 5 minutes. What if they had gotten into the bridge of the Trade Federation ship. The Story still follows the established trails of events in TPM before it makes its deviation. Like all AU it shows that the eventual outcome of events can hinge on the actions of the present. A small shift in the hinge can lead to the door swinging a different direction.
Notes: Some of the Cannon events (scene by scene pod race for example) are assumed in this AU. This story delves into some possible alternative interactions. In some way it reflects my angst with TPM. When I saw the film on release the first 5 minutes were awesome, but other portions drove me nuts (Jar-Jar Dialogue). Hope you enjoy...

Summary of TPM segment of this story:-- Read if you want to ruin surprises
Obi Wan listens carefully to Qui-Gon and heeds his council to concentrate, this allows Obi Wan to better use his skills. This leads to a discovery that help the Jedi detect the Sith during the blockade on Naboo. When the Queens party makes it to the Senate they are frustrated by Sanctions rather than removal of the blockade. Because the Sith are detected the Jedi begin to take action. When Amidala returns to Naboo, more Jedi are sent to Naboo with the queen. During the battle several Jedi are killed (including QG). Maul loses two legs, Dooku (still a Jedi) loses a hand. But Darth Maul still escapes. Anakin still destroys the control ship. In the interim Palpatine is discovered and confronted by the Jedi Council within the confines of the Temple. Palpatine flees, and concocts explosives within the Temple. The result kills thousands of Jedi. He makes his way to the exit via secrecy and subterfuge but is detected. Palpatine is defeated at the Jedi temple by Yarael Poof and Yoda. Anakin is made a youngling and reunited with his mother. The Jedi order re-evaluates it position on attachments. Maul takes apprentice named Asajj and they contract Jango to create specialized soldiers on Kamino. The trade federation escapes justice.





Chapter 1


?Concentrate on the here and now,? Qui Gon reminded.

?But master Yoda said to be mindful of the future,? Obi-Wan quipped.
As he said it Obi-Wan realized that he did tend to look beyond what he was doing now and needed to give his best efforts now. It was not meant to be a rebuke but a reminder.
He realized however that he tended to rely on his training and reflexes to get the job done. Because of this he tended to get the job done while daydreaming of the next time he and Garen would get together to relate adventure stories. He would daydream of his past and in his quiet nights even ponder Siri.

Obi-Wan made a silent pledge to focus on how to do things better in the here and now.
Although he realized that as he made the pledge he had not been following the course of the conversation following Qui Gons reminder.

Inside the Nemoidian Control room the Viceroy squirmed under the directions of the Sith Lord.

?Kill them,? Lord Sidius commanded.

?What about the legal matters in the Senate?? the viceroy asked.

?I will determine what happens in the Senate.? It was all Sidius promised as he cut the transmission.

The nemoidian communications technician closed his end of the transmission and stored the record in the local memory. The Viceroy liked to keep track of these things. He would encrypt this series later after the invasion had taken place.

A transport explodes in the hanger, two Jedi are alerted, and gas fills the conference chamber.
??Roger, roger? the battle droid reported.
As the door opened two blades were that final things his optical sensors would process.


Q

 

I have been a lurker for many years and I am finally posting my own plot bunny. I have had some feedback from a buddy already that I need to shorten the posts. I apologize if the reading is a little dry, but I find that I respect my favorite AU writters a lot more the more I write.

Chapter II

This AU follows the trail to Tatooine. Qui-Gon, Jar-Jar, R2, and Padme all enter the town of Mos Espa. They find the necessary parts to fix a hyperdrive and discover that their credits are not valued here.

Introductions to a boy, his mother, the decision to enter the Boonta Eve race all occur per the cannon SW.

However because the confiscated Trade Federation files were sent to the Jedi a hinge on the events is beginning to turn.

In the Jedi Temple:

?As the senator for Naboo, and a member of the senate oversight committee, I request, nay I pray you let me know the status of our queen.? Senator Palpatine begged. ?Our communications with Naboo have been cut and if you have received a transmission, I would humbly request you share it with me, ? he continued.

Mace responded, ?Senator, the communication for a special team like this cannot be shared, even to a member of the oversight committee. Its contents will be shared when the team has completed its mission.?

?Master Windu, is there anything you will tell me?? he pled.

?Senator, understand your stress we do,? Master Yoda entered the conversation. ?However, our team, compromised they could be.?

?Can you at least tell me if our Queen is okay? Is she on her way here?? Palpatine questioned.

?They are coming. They have to make a quick stop before they can appeal to the Senate.? Mace answered.

?Thank you, knowing she is safe makes me feel much better. I hope she can convince the Senate to take action on this intrusion.? Palpatine said as he bowed to the council and exited the room.

**
A conversation inside the palace at Theed. The Viceroy is viewing a holoprojector with the
?Viceroy, the queen has escaped and I believe she is in need of repairs before she can continue her journey. Your bounty is not sufficient. I will send my apprentice to aid in the search.? Lord Sidious said as Darth Maul appeared behind him.

?Now there two of them,? Nute whimpered after he shut off the projector

 

This is really good, keep it up Ocelotl_Nesto .

 

Darth Maul smiled as he made the atmospheric entry. This is the perfect place to hide as you repair your craft. The force had confirmed the sources his master had used and he felt the promptings of the darkside that directed him closer to his target. ?They have landed here,? he murmered to himself as he plotted a course for landing between the cities of Mos Eisley and Mos Espa.

Meanwhile the bet was accepted. A smug toydarian flew down the hallway. He laughed to himself as he thought about what he would do with his new Nubian cruiser when Sebulba won the race. Too bad that offworlder didn?t have something else to gamble. Watto chided himself. He did not want to get too greedy. He was going to be wealthy when Boonta Eve became Boonta. The question he had now was should he sell the cruiser or use it when Sebulba won? He could have Anakin install the hyperdrive and visit Toydaria. Would his cousins be impressed. A Nubian cruiser!

Obi Wan was finished working on the systems. The ship was ready to install a new hyperdrive. He was about do do some meditation and felt he should take a look at the confiscated files he had in the cabin.

Another communication listing the coordination of the Trade Federation fleet. ?This is boring,? Obi Wan thought. He scanned the lists of folders: diagnostics, fleet, invasion targets, trade routes, weapons profiles, troop strength? The list of folders took more than two pages of his data pad and they were all folders containing communications files. Why had he chosen the communications listing before the fleet specs? That was at least interesting. ?Better to eat the vegetables first, dessert later, ? he motivated himself.

He opened the diagnostics communications file and saw the copies of communications were rather advanced. Upon closer inspection they used an incredibly secure transmission code and seemed to be rather brief. ?Hmm, that?s odd.? He mumbled to himself. He opened the first communication and lost his breath as he saw a cloaked figure addressing the Viceroy like a servant. From the audio record of Nute?s reply he caught the title ?Lord Sidious? and as the communication was cut he heard the Nemoidian plead the name: Darth Sidious. That was definitely not a communications diagnostic transmission.

 

This is still good, I like it, please keep going.

?Better to eat the vegetables first, dessert later, ? he motivated himself.

That made me laugh.

 

?Qui-Gon, I have some important news about the communications files.? Obi wan barked. He knew his voice sounded alarmed, but he was reeling from what he had just heard.
?Obi Wan, calm yourself, what is the problem?? Qui-Gon replied.
? I was just looking at, um I mean reviewing, err, I saw a?Sith.? Obi Wan stammered.
?No need for cursing padawan, what did you discover?? Qui-Gon interrupted. Qui-Gon sensed Obi Wan?s alarm, but realized how surprised he was at Obi Wan?s vocabulary. Obi Wan did not curse and was really rather well spoken. This was quite out of character.

?Master, you do not understand. The communications file contains a series of communications between the Trade Federation and a Sith.? ?These files refer to force powers, the Senate, and he is addressed regularly as Darth.? Obi Wan explained.

Qui-Gon suppressed a smile at the humor of his mistake for cursing for a real report. Had the Sith really resurfaced. This is not a coincidence he thought. This explained the discovery of the boy. Qui-Gon thought. If the Sith had resurfaced this boy really could be key to restoring balance in the Force.

?Obi Wan, research these files for voice signatures, facial recognition, body type, and species, anything you can think of to test. I realize we lack most of the tools needed but prepare as much as you can before we leave. We cannot break communications silence now, but we can be ready.? Qui-Gon directed. ?Oh, and Obi Wan, well done.?

+++++++++++
Maul flexed his shoulder muscles as he directed the droids search of the communities. He felt a sense of satisfaction that the Jedi had been foolish enough to slip the need for a ?quick stop? before addressing the Senate. This had allowed him to track them much faster than if he had to wait for the Nemoidians ploy with the governor to get a lead.
His body was tight with anticipation and he stretched his limbs as he felt his noose begin to close on the location of the queen.

Maul soaked in the darkness of the Force. The Hutts rule had definitely allowed the darker elements of the Force to prosper here. Maul could sense bright spots amid the populace, but the despair, fear, hatred, jealousy, and greed were truly inspiring. He swam in the darkness of the Force and gloried in the currents he felt.

++++++++++
The Jedi Council Chamber

?Master Dooku, please desist on your tirade about the darkening swarms around the Senate. Your mission to Byss may not have the results you wanted, but this is a report to the council, not a discussion on the swirls of the darkside of the Force.? Master Windu reminded him.

?The mission to Byss was a reminder that the corruption in the Senate is the cause for half of the missions we perform. I sense the darkside ebbing and flowing throughout the Senate.? Master Dooku explained.

?Irrespective of your concerns we are grateful that you were able to salvage some of the work at Byss.? Master Adi Gallia continued, ?It is your experience with the Trade Federation and your status on Serenno that requires your talents now.?

?I thought my old padawan was handling the latest dispute with the Trade Federation. Why do you need my aid? I hoped to take a break after the unpleasantness at Byss.? Dooku complained.

?A transmission we received. The escape from Naboo, delayed it was.? Yaddle interjected.

?We have a transmission containing the fleet and communications files from the Trade Federation Battleship. Your understanding and experience of the Trade Federation should allow us to determine the motivation behind the blockade at Naboo.? Mace explained.

?Very well, perhaps some young knights to assist in the combing of the files?? Dooku replied.

++++

In the Jedi archives a young Kit Fisto works with fellow knights on the confiscated files.
?Skip the diagnostics files Kit, look in the trade route fleet deployments. There has to be something that would warrant such an expensive blockade,? Dooku directed. He leaned over another knight and lectured, ?The Trade Federation is about credits, if

 

Another Shout Out to long time writers. Keeping on track with my outline and not following other plot bunnies is tough. I acknowledge now after so much time lurking how tough it can be to stay on track. Well I took the day off work yesterday and spent time with my 3 little muses at the Zoo. Here comes the next post.

+++ We follow the cannon trail to the Senate. Padme is given a Japor snippet. And the crew from Naboo head to Coruscant.

+++ On the bridge of the Nubian cruiser.

?And this controls the pitch?? Anakin confirmed.

?Very good,? the pilot was responded as he was interrupted by the entry of two Jedi.

?Qui-Gon, we are almost there, should it be safe to transmit the analysis of the communications to the temple?? Obi Wan asked. He was wanted to get the news to the temple immediately but thought he may hear another reminder on patience. Here and now he thought. The Jedi should know as soon as was safely possible.

?You are right padawan,? Qui-Gon commandeered the communications console.

+++

Inside the Jedi temple an urgent message was received by four of the council members who were early for the report expected from Master Dooku. They spoke about their concerns of a Trade Federation Fleet that was rumored to be six times the legally allowed size under their charted in the Senate.

?Qui-Gon, it is good to hear from you. Are you in route to the Senate?? Mace asked.

?Concerned we were, dark swellings in the Force I have sensed in your mission.? Yoda added.

?Yes, we have made the repairs necessary; we are in orbit of Coruscant as we speak.? Qui-Gon explained.

?Why the emergency transmission? We are about to meet with Master Dooku on the fleet report from the transmissions you sent,? Master Adi Gallia spoke with a slight annoyance.

?An old enemy has resurfaced. Obi Wan is sending a report and an analysis of the communications now. We felt the subject was very sensitive and could not send it earlier as our safety was in question. It will become even more so now.? Qui-Gon explained.

Yaddle?s ears twitched at the thought. It was clear that what ever this old enemy was it was enough to rattle one of the best master/padawan teams they currently had. The four masters in the chamber were uneasy at the thought as they received the transmission.

+++

Master Dooku was pleased with the report that his team had prepared. The fleet size was six times larger that was allowed under Senate charter. And this was only this fleet. How many more were not involved in this blockade? The thought intrigued him immensely.

Kit Fisto came running up to Dooku just as he was about to enter the council chamber to make the report.

?Master Dooku, I found more!? Kit blurted?

?More ships?? Dooku questioned, that was all he had in mind.

The council door opened as Kit spoke.

?No master, the Sith are behind the blockade.?

Dooku was startled, but found his calm immediately. He motioned for Kit to follow him into the council chamber.

?Masters,? Dooku addressed the council. ?The large fleet on the blockade of Naboo is troubling, but it is not the sum of our concerns.? He took an informed risk in making the assumption that Kit was right. Kit would not be making such a statement if he did not have proof.

It was then that he surveyed the room. He had only begun the report, but the looks of concern on the council troubled him. Yoda looked grim, Mace in denial, Yaddle in ? no matter. Did they know already?

?Speak of the Sith you do, ? Yoda confirmed.

+++

Padme prepared to address the Senate. She thought of Palpatine?s recommendation to call for a vote of no confidence. She winced at the thought. Velorum was one of the biggest supporters of the position in Naboo. There had to be another way.

?Senators, our world has been invaded. Our sovereignty has been violated. The Trade Federation has occupied our world. This invasion needs to be addressed now.? Queen Amidala?s address hushed the forum.

?Outrageous, do you have proof of these allegations!

 

Generous Muse today:

Aboard a Nubian cruiser en route to Naboo.

Master Dooku and Master Windu meditated on the recent events and discovery. How had the Sith managed to avoid deception for so long? Thinking about the current swirls of the darkside it was evident that the Jedi had been blind to the power building in the darkside.

Mace released his frustration into the force. He denied the possibility at first. Mace chided himself of how could he have dismissed the report initially. He realized the power Sith must have used to remain hidden so long. The unexplained disappearances of Jedi over the past centuries made more sense now. Mace realized the threat this dark power posed and dipped his consciousness into the light side as he explored the facets that he would explore in an effort to save the Republic.

Master Dooku pondered the power of this stealth as well. He wondered at the manner that the Sith must have infiltrated the Senate. His confirmations were confirmed. The Sith had claimed to control the Senate. This was a dangerous power. He realized he pondered the power that the Sith must have used with distain. It was dirty, corrupt and unredeeming; bit the power did have a legendary awe.

 

Another post. I am tempted to take on a Beta Reader.

The Cannon trail to Naboo is followed. A strike team of Jedi join them, in hopes of encountering the Sith. The team heads to Jar Jars Secret place and gets the aid of the Gungan Army.

Jim-Jam watched as the droid Army rounded the crest of the hill. He was proud of his place in the Gungan army. He was a scientist by nature; in fact he was responsible for making the shields being used today 15% more effective. He felt pride that the plasma energy boomers being used today were safer than they were a year ago. His team had improved the earlier extraction methods thanks to the team of engineers he led. They would do their jobs well today. He knew he was not the best of soldiers, but someone had to stand up to these invaders.

?Steady, Steady.? Jim-Jam heard the clumsy oaf calming the troops. How could an idiot like that be a General? His thoughts drifted again as he watched the droids deploy. Why didn?t they fire the boomers now? His role as a soldier would definitely be easier if there were less droids to fight.

Despite the shortcomings of the leadership Jim-Jam looked forward to the conflict. He felt that the destruction of the Gungan cities needed to be noted. Their stand against these invaders would be here, they would show them that Gungans deserved the rights of other beings. The time for this stand was not later or negotiable, it was now.

+++
Maul waited. He had a patience rolling with rage. He despised waiting, but his master predicted the queen and Jedi would come to him. Darth Maul waited because it was necessary, but did not enjoy the process. He amused himself as he waited, thoughts turned to the Toydarian he had taken to the desert. His wings had been removed as Maul tortured him to get more information on the boy?s mother. He could use her to keep the boy in control he returned to Tatooine. But first he would have the pleasure of killing the Jedi that would accompany the queen. His master had warned him they would accompany the queen on her return; he would have the chance to finish the duel that had begun in the sand.

+++
The teams at Theed finalized conversed one last time before Captain Typho made the signal to attack.

Queen Amidala whispered the final instructions. ?Remember, the Jedi team will accompany the queen?s decoy heading to the Viceroy. Qui-Gon and Obi Wan will accompany me to the hangar before we head into the palace towards the Viceroy.?

Master Dooku and Mace led the ?queen? and her guards into the palace following the explosion in the main courtyard. The other four knights guarded the sides and rear of the group. Mace and Dooku diverted shots at the droids in their path as they proceeded deeper into the palace of Theed.

Maul watched the two groups split as they entered Theed. He felt the presence of the talented boy heading towards the hangars. They plan to use air power against the droid army and aid the Gungans he thought. He smiled to himself as he realized he was understanding strategy better now. Maul radioed the Viceroy, ?Send fighters from the control ship to protect the armies engaging the Gungans.?

He would let the group headed to the hangars proceed. He felt the Jedi presence strongly with the queen. He would finish them first. The hanger after all was just a diversion.

Maul waited for the queens group to pass below him in the spacious hall. They had to fight their way past patrols, but they failed to look upwards into the archways of their beloved palace. He noted the presence of two Jedi in the front. Followed by four more Jedi within the group of the queen, this was more than he expected. He did not fear, for fear was his ally and the Jedi would fall. He scanned the group looking for his target, the Jedi called Qui-Gon. In the group he spotted a Quarren Jedi, another human, a Weequay, and finally the bearded human.

He would take the bearded human first, their dual had been interrupted.

+++

?Stay there Anakin,? Qui-Gon ordered.

Anakin slouc

 

The Battle for Naboo

Theed Palace:

Prow Tres continued to follow the decoy. She covered the right flank as droids fired upon the guards and was prevented shots directed at them. She felt herself hum in the force; she submerged herself in the force like a typical Quarren would submerge itself in water. She felt at peace, calm, in motion, and then warned.

Maul watched as the group passed below him in the large hallway of the palace. As he was about to leap to engage the bearded Jedi he saw the Quarren look in his direction. His leap took him an extra pace away from the bearded one to prevent any interference from the Quarren Jedi.

Prow Tres shouted a warning and watched as a dark Zabrack flipped in the air, igniting a red saber, and attacked the group. Her companions spun; all but Dooku and Mace who continued to engage the droids.

Maul watched as the Jedi spun but not quickly enough. He parried the first blow. But Mauls attack was strong and fast. The parry was batted away and the Jedi was sliced from shoulder to hip. Mauls rage only grew when he realized this bearded Jedi was not Qui-Gon. The kill had been hollow, this Jedi was not worthy of his skills.

He force pushed the Quarren to the floor and engaged the Weequay and the other human. The two Jedi paused as the Naboo guards ran behind them. The air was tense and the Force reflected the conflict to come. Darth Maul felt their fear as he ignited the other blade.

 

Mace turned from his position as he felt the fear in the two Jedi. He had been letting the Force guide his movements, but most of the danger from the droids had been dealt with. He felt the hatred and the darkness of this Sith and he sensed the shatterpoint in defeating him now.

The decoy and guards ran down the hall shooting the few remaining droids as they went. Mace signaled for Prow Tres to follow. Dooku accompanied Mace as they calmed walked the 20 meters in the hallway where the two Jedi were battling with the Sith.

Darth Maul allowed the Force to guide his movements. He sensed the resolve at his current opponents and noted the approach of the two Jedi Masters. He noted that the Weequay Jedi was compensating for the smaller humans speed. He allowed the Wequay to jump behind him as he faced the human. As the Wequay raised his saber Maul thrust the tip of his blade backwards through the Wequay?s chest. Darth Maul did not even need to look back. The human felt the loss and pain quickly. He may be talented Maul mused, but he did not have a Jedi Masters control over his emotion. In the second that the Jedi hesitated Maul speared the point of his blade into the neck of the Jedi.

Master Dooku and Mace were about to enter the fray when they saw the quick end of the two Jedi. Mace acknowledged his anger, but released it as he sunk himself into Vapaad. Dooku saluted the Sith in a manner acknowledging his skill and struck.
+++

Anakin smiled as R2 disabled the guidance in the fighter. There weren?t very many droid fighters. In fact it was all he could do to find something to chase. The majority of the Battle ships guns had already been destroyed by the other pilots, but the fighters did not have enough firepower to break through the shields.

+++
?I do not care if Lord Maul commanded the fighters to attack the Gungans, take them back to the control ship? Nute commanded.

+++
Jim Jam began to despair. The lines against the battle droids were holding, but the barrage from the fighters on the shields would bring them down soon. ?Jar Jar,? he called. ?Have the line slowly withdraw, I have an idea?

Jim Jam ran to the larger artillery catapults and took a pike and began puncturing the assault sized boomer. He aimed the boomer above the shielding of the main army and fired.

The boomer held until it hit the shield. It then began to break apart. The plasma contained in the boomer sprayed into hundreds of droplets. These plasma droplets were dispersed right in the path of the strafing vulture droids.

+++
Qui-Gon and Obi Wan flanked the assault group led by Tycho and Amidala. They were close to the throne room. The rounded the corner for the push down one more hall before they reached the throne room. The hallway was a mess of scaffolding from the reconstruction taking place. The Viceroy had placed droids up in the scaffolding and the droids began to fire.

+++
The Gungans cheered as more boomers were improvised and used to bring down the fighters. The boomers were preventing the fighters from breaking through. Abruptly the fighters departed. Droids began to charge the lines.

+++
Anakin felt a warning and spun his ship. He saw flights of vulture droids approaching. ?R2, get the shields up this is going to get messy?

 

Coruscant

Jedi Council chamber with Kit, Yoda, Adi?

?Master Yoda, I have used Kenobi?s files for analysis on facial features, voice recognition and height ratios.? Kit reported.

?What have you determined Kit?? Adi prodded.

?I think I got the results wrong, I ran them against the speeches given by Senators or their aids in the last 100 days. I only got a 90% voice recognition match but the body frame ratios are correct.? Kit alluded.

?And who might this phantom Sith be?? Yoda prompted.

?That is why I think I made a mistake, why would a Sith Lord want to blockade his own system?? Kit explained.

?Investigated this should be, Palpatine has long been outspoken for the Jedi.? Yoda spoke solemnly as he scratched his head.

?This does not seem possible,? Adi continued, ?how many speech samples did you take??

?I cross referenced the Sith voice with 12 Palpatine speeches master, he was 90% match and the percentage rose when he became passionate about something. ? Kit explained.

?Confront him we shall. A mistake in not investigating it would be? Yoda stated.

+++

Theed Palace

Maul was pressed back by the two Jedi. The silver haired Jedi had just singed a horn and Maul countered with a quick force push. Dooku sprawled on his back and Mace pushed the attack. Maul could feel the bald Jedi skirting the fringe of the darkside with his strikes. What were the intentions of this Jedi? Maul paried a strike and reversed a strike while he flipped over the Jedi.

This was taking to long Maul mused. He used the darkside to increase his speed and ran towards the Viceroy. He flipped a blast door control and ran towards the conflict he could sense.

?That was a challenge,? Dooku stated. It was obvious, but it needed to be said.

?He was strong in the darkside,? Mace affirmed. ?Lets go get him.?

Dooku pondered the confrontation as the Jedi approached the blast door. They had pressed and cornered their opponent two or three times in the short duel. Only to have him quickly slip the trap and counter. It was disappointing that the Sith had fled, Dooku felt they could have over powered him. Now it was a matter of getting past this blast door.

Mace began an override on the blast door and kept his calm in the force. Dooku began cutting a hole in the blast door. A friendly competition of speed on this obstacle had begun.

 

I am ditching my outline as I am going to explore where the plot bunny has led. Again the premise of this AU is the impact of Obi Wan keeping his focus. The communications intercept and the warning the Jedi would have had. I now have a new outline to follow...


+++
Jedi Temple

?Senator Palpatine, thank you for coming.? Adi opened.

?An invitation for a status report on the blockade. How could I refuse?? the senator answered.

?An update for your oversight committee we have,? Yoda added

?We have found that the Trade Federation was in contact with a Sith.? Adi stated.

?Are you certain, the Sith have been extinct for years.? Palpatine questioned. ?Why would the Trade Federation want to have dealings with this so called Sith?? He continued: ?How can you be certain it is a Sith??

Palpatine kept his calm and shields intact. His current exposure in the Jedi temple was precarious. What if they had been able to discover more? He looked at the council that was supposed to be reporting to him and realized that this was more of an inquisition. His meditations in the force had not forseen these circumstances. He needed to escape quickly the darkside warned.

?Knight Fisto a report has compiled,? Yaddle continued.

Yaddle approached the senator with a data pad.

?Your voice patterns and body ratios match that of the conspirator with the Trade Federation. Can you provide an explanation?? Adi asked.

Palpatine was shocked. ?That is impossible? he lied. ?Let me see that data pad.? He approached Yaddle and extended his hand. He kept his shields high.

Yaddle handed the pad to the senator and as she did she felt a warning from the Force. But it was too late. Most of the council expected the senator to look at the data and provide evidence why it was faulty. No one, not even the suspicious Yoda expected what happened next.

As Palpatine extended his hand to take the data pad his other hand received a cylinder from up his sleeve. In a movement it was lit, and with a red flash the Jedi Master Yaddle was in two pieces on the floor.

Palpatine struck viciously at the Jedi escort by the door as he fled the room. His actions had caused such shock to the council that they only began to arise as he exited the chamber. He sliced again as the turbo lift doors opened. He left the the padwan and knight who were coming to the council chambers on the floor. He pushed the controls to place him on the entry level of the Temple. He did not intend to escape that way but had to give a diversion. He cut a hole in the ceiling of the turbolift and rode it down.

+++
Maul spotted the decoy with her last Jedi escort attempting to override the blast doors to get access to the Vicery. Destroyers rolled into a room adjoining the access and a fire fight ensued. Maul smiled as he proceeded around the group and headed towards the other Jedi he sensed. He had to find that boy and get the queen. He had nearly fallen into a trap, but he could sense the deceit in the decoy and quickly vanished in the rafters of the room towards his targets

+++

Mace and Dooku rounded the corner to see the decoy and her consorts engaged in a fierce firefight with six destroyers. In the midst of the conflict Mace reflected on the humor of seeing Dooku smirk at him when the blast door yielded a hole to his saber. The piece of the door clanged on the floor as the blast door began to rise. It had been a tie.

?Dooku, find that Sith, I will catch up after I help with these droids,? Mace yelled.

+++

Jim-Jam watched as Jar Jar was captured. The conflict had been close but it had turned into a rout. He kept throwing boomers in hopes that some of them could escape into the swamp.

+++

Naboo Space:

Anakins fighter took the only escape route possible. It was chased into the hanger of the battleship. Optical sensors for the attending droids in the hanger computed disbelief as a yellow ship flashed by.

?R2, everything is overheating and shut down. Can you override it? Anakin asked.

+++
Maul took pl

 

+++
Jedi Temple:

Palpatine leaped off the turbo lift roof and onto the ledge of the shaft. He knew he had to escape quickly. Speeder traffic skirted the temple and he knew the typical exits were being blocked at the moment. He would have to create diversions and fight his way out.

He watched as the Turbo lift was halted two floors below him as the Jedi attempted to intercept him. For now he would head deeper into the temple to begin some destruction and hopefully the distraction he needed.

+++
?Padawans and younglings, evacuate we must. Jedi to guard them, we will send. A perimeter around the temple we must create.? Yoda commanded.

As the leading member of the council his advice was taken immediately. It was logical sound and was the best course at the time. However there was some dissention.

?Shouldn?t we try to secure the archives and the artifacts sections too? What if the Sith gets to our artifacts section? There are controlled devices there.? Plo Koon added.

?A danger to the temple those items are. But the future of the Jedi is in the younglings, not this building.? Yoda reminded.
+++
Naboo Space:

Over the comlink Anakin continued to get constant cheers and questions. ?I had no where else to go. I had four on my tail and I followed a feeling; into the hanger it was. I skidded to a stop and overheated. R2 overpowered the emergency shut down as droids surrounded my ship. R2 got the systems up and I started firingat everything. I got an autolock on a power source so I fired my proton torpedos. At first I thought I had locked in on a transport power source, but as I started out of the hanger I sensed it was something more.?

Olié marveled at the story. This was more than luck and skill. This was a compounded series of luck. The tale was better than any holoflic or embellished tavern story. And most of all it was true. ?Hey everyone, don?t forget I am the one who taught him how to fly a Nubian,? Olié added.

?That means you buy the first round,? someone chimed.

?What, I thought it got me a first round?? Olié laughed.

+++
Naboo plain

Jim-Jam sat in the grassy slope and smiled. Just as many of the Gungans were being rounded up all the droids had shut down. The plan had worked! After resting in the grass for a moment he began cheering with the rest of the army. Perhaps he could take a blaster and see if it could be used as a prototype for a boomer propellant, he mused?

+++

Mace and the Quarren, Prow Tres, had disabled two of the destroyers when the droids abruptly shut down. The decoy and guards began the override on the blast doors.

?Stay with this team, I am going to find the Sith.? Mace instructed.

 

Jedi Temple:

Palpatine initially started his path into the Jedi Temple with a trail of dead Jedi. He stopped his path just past the military training center and headed towards the archives and the vaults. He knew his path was being followed and he began avoiding Jedi as he made his way deeper into the temple. He was near the archive when he saw Yarael Poof and Yoda exit a Turbo lift. He had been peering behind one of the pillars of the temple, but made a hasty retreat towards the military training center.

+++
Naboo:

Anakin made his first planetary re-entry with the help of the Naboo squad. He slaved his controls to another ship to enter the hangar. The N-1 squad were very overprotective of their hero now. Olié even joked that they did not want a repeat performance of what had happened in the last hangar. For that bit of humor, he did not have to buy the first round.

+++

Theed Palace:

Obi Wan and Qui-Gon engaged Maul on the catwalks of the grand hallway reconstruction. Obi Wan went with a overhead strike while Qui-Gon aimed low. Maul caught Obi Wan with a kick to the chest that nocked him off the scaffolding as he blocked Qui-Gons strike. Obi Wan cushioned his fall with the force as he used the tumbling techniques that he had learned since his was a youngling to break his fall.

Dooku arrived in the grand hallway to see Obi Wan roll on the floor. Above him his former padawan faced the Sith on the scaffolding. Dooku ran to engage the Sith. As he ran, he witnessed the diagonal slash from Qui-Gon; the Sith countered with a block that allowed him to push Qui-Gons saber up and spear him through the chest with the other end of his saber.

Obi Wan witnessed the strike and force jumped up. The currents of rage he felt carried him further. And he succeeded in making the jump in one leap. Maul quickly had to counter the enraged padawan as he felt the Jedi touching the darkside for additional power in his strikes.

Maul sensed the older Jedi behind him. The slight distraction allowed Obi Wan to clip the Sith saber rendering one end inoperable.

 

Maul backed as Obi Wan struck with opposite diagonal strikes. His touching the darkside kept him from his focus however. Darth Maul could feel the reckless tendencies and continued to counter; the Sith lord then took a step back and with a raised palm he hit Obi Wan with a force push that knocked off the scaffolding and into the window of the grand hallway. Obi Wan fell through the window and had to grab the decorative facing to keep from falling to his end.

Dooku was on Maul in an instant and began to strike at the Sith without the prior salute he had given in the earlier duel.

Darth Maul was frustrated and cold feel the power and frustration in this Jedi. He taunted Dooku and attempted to lure the Jedi by faking a reverse opening when he struck. The Jedi from Seranno balked at the hidden opening and continued his strikes as he delved into the force.

Obi Wan hung on the ledge and breathed deeply, he was without weapon and very vulnerable. He concentrated on the force that he could feel. In the immediate vicinity he felt the Sith and Jedi in conflict, his Master dimming, and all around them the currents of life on this vibrant planet. He took a deep breath and began to focus.

Qui-Gon, although nearing his end, gasped as his body attempted to inhale. The gurgling made Dooku loose his focus. Darth Maul sensed the opening and the momentary lack of focus. For the split second Dooku hesitated, Maul spun his blade and severed his hand from the saber. Dooku stood firm with a resolute face. His face only masked the inner chaos that had abandoned his calm. Darth Maul could sense the power, and depth of the experienced Jedi. He had been a worthy foe; Maul sensed the anger generated in the Jedi at the end. He paused momentarily to savor the dark musings of this Jedi before he struck him down. Truly the manner that this Jedi has abandoned his calm showed the true superiority of the dark side.

Maul stepped forward to strike the defiant Jedi down and his strike was halted by the blade of Qui-Gon now in the hands of the padawan. Maul felt a force push from Dooku as Kenobi slashed at his midsection. Dooku?s force push caused the Zabrack to fall backwards as Obi Wan struck. Both legs were severed as he fell out the window.

 

Jedi Temple:

Palpatine had just left the Military Training rooms back towards the archive when he encountered Plo Koon and Ki-Adi-Mundi. Despite his shielding they had discovered him as he slunk down the hallway.

The saber combat of the Sith did not rely on the defenses and blocking of the various styles taught among the Jedi. It was the defensive measures the Jedi relied on that allowed them to survive the initial attack. As masters in the council they were both experts in the use of their sabers. It was not their offensive tactics that kept them from the aggressive strikes, but a strong defense.

Palpatine was not surprised at the skills of the masters. He did not expect to win as easily against them as he had against the dozens he had killed this day. He needed to delay and retreat for his distractions to take place.

His last strike seared the robe of Plo Koon. Abruptly he retreated and ran down the hall.

?He had us at a disadvantage, why did he let us go?? Mundi asked.

?He knew we had raised the alarm, he feared additional reinforcements.? Plo Koon offered.

?Perhaps he was avoiding a trap, but I sense that he hopes to spring his own.? Mundi countered.

Their answer came from a notice on the comlink.

?The North entrance is being attacked by about 50 different varieties of droids.? The comms knight reported.

Mundi and Plo Koon heard the call but did not head to the North entrance. Instead they reported the last direction of the Sith. They then proceeded down the hall. Plo Koon could sense that despite the attack on the North of the temple that they were tightening the noose on the Sith. On all the layers of the temple and after disabling all the exits the Jedi were closing in on the Sith. The Jedi had evacuated the sick and young. Now the Jedi had over two thousand converging on the location of a Sith.

+++
Palpatine smiled as he over heard the concern that he had created on the North side. He had had to take an antenna from the military training room to signal the droids from his personal training center. He regretted that he could not get more help than the hundred droids he had. But he had considered it a waste of resources to have more on hand for his personal use and the training of Maul. The droids would prove a challenge for the Jedi. But now he had to activate the next phase of his plan.

Darth Sidious could feel the Jedi getting closer. There was fear, but also confidence. He would emerge and strike one or two down and retreat. They thought they were cornering him, but he could see that they had to deploy more knights against the droids he had sent to the North entrance. They were going to come into his trap, starting now.

Plo Koon was blown against the wall. The blast had come from the South East section of the temple. He was puzzled as they were so far into the interior of the temple that such a blast should not have been felt.

Mundi propped himself up and said we have lost a lot of Jedi, in that blast. He and Plo Koon meditated in the force and began to release their frustrations and hurt and began to sense the destruction that had taken place.

+++

Dex heard the blast out side his diner. He hurried to the entrance and looked outside. He could see a column of smoke rising in the sky. He put his ample frame into his speeder and rose to see where it came from.

He saw where the smoke rising from the South East section of the temple. As the wind shifted he noticed that the tower was missing. The entire Reconciliation Tower was missing! He saw that the entire area was cordoned off by Republic security. No one or anything was getting within a kilometer of the temple. Dex muttered a silent prayer of hope that Obi Wan and Qui-Gon were off planet. He sped back to the diner to turn on the holo and see what was happening.

+++
Theed Palace:

?Well done Obi Wan,? Qui-Gon whispered. ?Promise me you will train the boy.?

?I will master,? Obi Wan replied.

?Be at peace my padawan,? Dooku added.

?No, may you be at p

 

Coruscant:

Dex watched the holo news with everyone in the diner. No one ate, spoke, or even whispered as the news kept updating. Dex chuckled to himself as the appointed experts cited what had happened and postulated on the outcome inside the temple.

An audible din began in the diner when the holo news began a recap of the events. Dex sighed to himself as he listened anyway just in case there was more news. The announcer showed the press release of the suspected Sith. A well known Senator from Naboo and well liked politician. The senator was confronted on the suspicions and confirmed the allegations with violence. Dex chuckled as the ?expert? reminded viewers of the big war with the Sith centuries ago. It was reported that the Sith was hiding within that cavernous building of the Jedi temple. The Jedi young were evacuated and a search commenced. The Republic security forces cordoned off the surrounding area but no official word had been heard since.

But the unofficial word drove numerous speculation. A transport speeder broke through the Republic security lines and deployed some fearsome looking droids at the North entrance of the Temple. The news showed the zoom of the Jedi battle against the attackers as they attempted to enter the Temple. It was speculated that the senator had summoned them to rescue him. The casualties among the Jedi appeared high but as the last of the droids were defeated the South East quarter of the temple exploded and the tower above it fell.

This is where the speculation began. Did the Sith cause the explosion? Was it a Jedi conspiracy to retain power? These theories all were pushed aside as yet another transport weaved through the Republic security perimeter and deployed droids into the chasm of the building that had once been the South East quarter of the temple.

Dex watched as the end of the holo showed the Republic Security bringing in more troops to insure that anything that tried to come out of the South East section was caught. The speculation on what extra help the Sith got on that transport varied from viewer to viewer. Some of the diner patrons even speculated that this confrontation could spell the end for the Jedi. If one Sith could inflict this much damage, then who was the most powerful?

+++
Jedi Temple:

Ploo Koon and Mundi stopped and spoke with the communications control. The remaining Jedi Masters were paired off with teams of Jedi looking for the Sith. They got an update on the additional droids that had breached the temple through the debris from the blast that the Sith had set. Apparently Padawan Garen had been instrumental in leading against the new threat and had helped dispatch the remaining droids.

Ploo Koon had to keep pausing to release his frustrations and anger into the force. Many of the emotions that he thought he had dealt with ages ago had resurfaced. In the face of the recent tragedy the loss of friends, trust, and security distracted him from his focus.

Ploo Koon and Mundi had just entered a hallway when the blast door behind them closed and separated them from the group of Jedi behind them. They both turned and faced the red saber before them.

 

Jedi Temple:

Garen listened to his comlink closely. He had just helped several Jedi teams finish the last wave of droids. He was impressed what a group of Jedi could do in these circumstances. Before the days events he had confidence in the abilities he had learned and he had faith in the Force. After today, amid the grief of loss and destruction it had been tested and now burned true. He looked at the chasm that had once been the SW portion of the temple. The blast doors that were placed strategically within the temple had spared the entire structure significant damage. ?I always thought they were designed to prevent the spread of fires or catch delinquent younglings,? Garen muttered to himself.

Although he was still considered a padawan, Garen had proved his mettle and leadership abilities. He had assumed command of the group of young knights when the senior leader had been struck down by a rather nasty droid with 8 appendages. As an informal leader he had led the charge against the droids that had attacked through the hole that used to be the South West portion of the temple. His team had kept the droids from penetrating into the temple and aiding the Sith who surely summoned them.

His team was watching the perimeter of the SW canyon of the temple when his communicator issued a general warning. Apparently the team led by Ploo Koon and Mundi had just been separated from the two masters. A blast door had dropped and they suspected the Sith. Garen?s team was to get backing from Fisto?s team and proceed to the area.

 

<Bill, thanks for your lurker feedback. You could just make a post though. Despite your thanks I still am writing this to get a bunny out of my head, not for your lurking pleasure. I know what you will say Bill?yeah what a hypocrite?. Oh well?at least I have reformed from reading and actually posting comments when I started to write this story.>


Garen and his team finished cutting the door to the hallway. It was once designed to inspire and provoke contemplation. The archways were high and artificially lit as this main hallway was deep in the core of the temple. Despite the lighting it tended to cause one peace and inspire. As it was almost a quarter of kilometer in length with vaulted ceilings and small alcoves with historical presentations it was common that this hallway was used for games by the younglings. It was once a place of education, play and peace. But as Garen and his team stepped through the gap cut in the door they were on edge. Using the force they could sense the terrible battle that had taken place here. The walls looked like they had been burned by some sort of electrical fire.

At the far end of the hallway they saw the forms of two Jedi. They could see that the blast door at the other end was being cut as they ran towards the bodies. Other Jedi would be here soon. The Sith was close, the force warned him.

?Central control, we have found the two masters. Kit is guarding our end. Make sure that all floors above and below have Jedi guarding them. We are closing in.? Garen shouted as he ran towards the two figures on the floor.

?Central control, Master Mundi is dead, but Plo Koon appears to have survived.? Garen reported. ?He has lacerations on his neck, and abdomen. He is missing both hands and his saber is missing. Send a healer and medical equipment immediately. He appears to be unconscious and is breathing irregularly through his mask.?

Garen heard a snap hiss on a pedestal down the hallway. Plo Koons stump of an arm seemed to twitch involuntarily. Six knights leapt to positions surrounding the pedestal and explosion rocked the hallway. The knights were not close enough to be impacted, but a hole appeared in the ceiling.

?Central control, it looks like the senator?I mean Sith tried to cut through the Durasteel floors but had to resort to explosives to get to the next floor. We are only two stories from the top. Advise you to prevent escape. Over.? Garen called.

?Any advise from Master Yoda or Master Poof, ? Garen asked. He could use any help that could be offered. The other knights around him nodded their heads in approval of the question. This was no time to be prideful about needing help.

?Master Yoda and Master Yarael Poof are en route to intercept the Sith, stand by your position.? Communications advised.

Several healers arrived and levitated Plo Koon on to a stretcher.

?Get him out of here quickly,? Garen pleaded. He did not want to lose another Jedi Master. If Plo Koon could be saved, then that would be one less loss to the Sith today.

+++
Yoda reflected on gratitude. He was sad for the loss of all the Jedi this day. He calmed himself as he and Yarael journeyed towards the Sith. Yoda was grateful for the companionship he had had with the lost Jedi. He was grateful to Yarael Poof as a companion this day. Yarael was one of the most thankful beings that Yoda knew.

?I am thankful that the threat of the Sith has been revealed now.? Master Poof broke the silence.

Yoda gave him a sideway glance as they journeyed the hall.

?If the Senator had continued in his capacity he could have done even more harm. What if he had risen to the office of chancellor?? Yarael explained.

Yoda acknowledged the wisdom with a nod. ?Insight your gratitude gives, here and now this Sith we will defeat.?

They rounded the corner to where the Sith would be found.

+++

?We cannot treat Master Koon here. The medical ward has been severely damaged. We are evacuating the Jedi to local medical installations.? Bant comman

 

15-May-06

?Central control, where is Master Yoda?? Garen asked.

It had been a few minutes and despite the breathing techniques Garen felt nervous about waiting for the masters before continuing the search for the Sith.

The reply that Garen received was not what he had expected.

?All Jedi teams, Send half your detachments to the North entrance now.?

Despite his shock, and the desire to question control, Garen took a deep breath. He inhaled and as he did leapt into the stream of the Force. He could see two bright lights confronting a darkness shadow. He could sense lessor lights around the confrontation and realized that the Sith was at the North entrance.

?Entwa, Damela, you two stay here and begin investigation on the blast. Everyone else come with me to the North entrance. The Sith is there.? Garen ordered. He and the rest of the team began to run towards the hallway. Many of the other knights had had simlar concerns and sensed the same confrontation.
+++

Mace paused as he tended Dooku. He could feel the impact of many Force users joining leaving this existence.

?Did you feel that?? he asked Dooku.

?I sense the darkness has struck our order,? Dooku replied.

?We must find that other Sith now.? Mace picked up his com-link. ?Obi Wan, any word on vehicles in the hangar??

?No Master Windu, but I did get a message from Panaka that a blood trail was found in a lower level near the Central garden.? Obi Wan replied.

?Meet me there. I am still at the medical wing, I will have Dooku radio security.? Mace called. He then began to run.

 

Theed Palace:

Maul crawled through the garden and into his ship. The Sith Infiltrator was hidden among a small stand of trees. Maul felt his fury rise as he had to wiggle his way up the ramp into his ship. Deep heaving breaths only fueled his anger at the defeat he had faced.
?What will Sidious do?? he gasped. He did not feel worthy of his apprenticeship. He pushed himself to his hands and knees and made his way to the controls. He felt the darkside prompting him to hurry.

+++
Theed Hangar:

?Olié, Get some N-1s into the air. The Jedi think that the Sith may have hidden a ship.? Pananka ordered.

?We can spare a couple, but we only have a few ships in any decent condition right now.? Olié explained further. ?Most of the ships took some sort of damage earlier. And all of them should be serviced.?

?Get some sort of a patrol up.? Pananka ordered.

+++
Darth Maul fired up the converters to the Infiltrator. He snarled as he moved for every movement brought pain, he realized that he was suffering from exhaustion and a loss of blood. The blade of the Jedi may have cauterized his wounds, but his crawling to the ship had opened wounds and his blood had seeped from the stumps of his legs. He drew upon his pain, his hate, his lust for vengeance. The Darkside filled him and he let his shields drop.

//I have failed Master, I must flee Naboo//

He was immersed in the darkside and let his shields drop. He awaiting the scathing reply of his Master.

//Flee quickly my apprentice, you must survive//

This was not what Maul had anticipated. His master must be in distress. Maul had planned to leave an explosive with an appropriate timer to level the palace. Instead of the necessary steps to arm and time the device he began the take off sequence.

+++

Maul lifted to see three Jedi running to the stand of trees. The dark skinned human, the cursed padawan, and the Quarren.

 

Olié flew the N-1 fighter over Theed. He had been told to get a flight up immediately. The only pilots capable of flying straight were already in the air. It was rather embarrassing to have to try to stall security to get a flight up. How could he tell Pananka that the crew should not fly because they were drinking? He was a bit inebriated himself. He did not have a single pilot that under normal regulations was legally allowed to fly.

Olié chuckled to himself; that last thought wasn?t entirely true. Anakin could have flown, he wasn?t drunk. But the child should not be in the air again without some additional training and years under his belt.

Rising from the Theed palace a dark object caught his eye.

?Unknown vessel return to Theed hangar or transit your transponder.? Ric Olié transmitted.

Ric and his two wing mates powered up their shields and flew an intercept course.

 

6/5/06

Maul was frustrated. His rage was spent and all he had was a smoldering hatred for the fighters following his vessel. He realized he was wounded and not in any condition to prolong the encounter. He tapped into the darkside further as he sought an escape vector. He had destroyed a fighter quickly, but the other fighters began evasive maneuvers as they tailed him.

His hyperdrive cleared a lane and he jumped into hyperspace as more ships began to converge on his location.


+++
Jedi Temple:

On the steps of the temple with no one within half a kilometer, but with the eyes of the republic viewing everything from high zoom cameras and recording devices.

Three of the most powerful force beings in the galaxy faced off. The short green Yoda, the long limbed Yarael Poof, and the senator from Naboo.

The actions that would take place would be mimicked in holo movies in centuries to come. The sequence would become a kata for masters to emulate. The strategy used would be argued by philosophers. Zealous Padawans would discuss ?what ifs? for years to come.

 

The confrontation began with Yarael Poof inviting the Sith to surrender. All the other Jedi had either been evacuated or were at the temple entrance. Security forces kept all vehicles away from the temple. But the cameras were rolling and debris from the earlier explosions littered the stairs. For a moment among all the wreckage it was still. Only a din of the traffic and everything was quiet.

The expanse of the landing of the Temple was vast, but the acoustics allowed for clear dialogue from the confrontation. Heavy breathing, footwork movement, and saber clashes were all very audible.

Again Yarael spoke, ?Sith Lord Palpatine, Senator of Naboo, lay down your weapon.?

Palpatine took a deep breath and replied ?No, Master Jedi, my powers in the Force are not under your jurisdiction.? The words were quick and accusing. But the time of dialogue had ended.

Darth Sidious jumped towards the two Jedi. Instead of a customary overhand strike he pivoted his body and blade into a turn and stabbing movement.

Yarael struck down against the blade of the Sith, while Yoda struck against the legs. Palpatine jumped and kicked Yoda while stabbing again towards the long limbed Yareal. Yoda rolled with the kick and rose without harm. Yarael continued to use his long reach to prevent any of the stabs from Darth Sidious to reach him. Yarael continued to hold his ground as Sidious stabbed and slashed.

The moves of the Sith were fast and aggressive; since the last official encounter centuries ago the style of Sith combat had continued to evolve. The Jedi styles were still practiced and mastered, but the aggressive Sith combat that the various styles had been created to counter had changed. It could truly be said that only true masters of saber combat could adapt under the new threats that the Jedi had faced this day.

In the years that would come young Jedi would watch the series of attacks with fear and wonder. It became a requirement to view the duel with a senior Jedi to calm the anxiety that some young Jedi would experience. The aggressive nature of the Sith attack showed that even when a defensive move was made, it was made with an aggressive chop or slash that was followed immediately by more attacks.

The duel continued with Yoda working from below with acrobatic series of combat. Yarael postured defensively and kept the Sith from breaking away from the combat zone with graceful leaps and long limbed attacks. As Yarael tended to fight downward with his long limbs it allowed Yoda to fight upward against the Sith.

Palpatine was not finished however and used upward reverse slashes and stabs and quick chops to press his attack. These same upward slashes and chops had disemboweled and severed limbs already this day. He continued to attack in ways intended to separate the two Jedi and dispatch them one by one. As a team however they seemed to be without flaw.

A viewer of the fight could not help but wonder how an aged Yoda could jump so well. His short green body was typically hunched over a cane, but now he leapt against columns and other debris to push his attacks on the Sith. Yarael on the other hand seemed to be a rooted being as he kept the Sith Lord at bay with his long limbs and quick dodges. He would go from a rooted position to a quick darting figure when he sensed the Sith was attempting to fight his way out of the duel.

The moments continued and expanded into minutes. Palpatine and Yoda began to employ breathing techniques. Yarael felt his body overheating. Despite the fatigue and efforts of Sith and Jedi, no one had yet gained the upper hand.

The conflict continued. Yoda?s years of sword play began to come into play. Every slight opening was challenged. The most miniscule of timing difference gave way to a pressed advantage. Slowly, slowly, Yoda began to get the upper hand.

Palpatine slashed again. His mastery of Sith swordwork was not enough to defeat the little green troll. Yarael kept him from focusing all his energies on the more expert of the t