Revenge of the Sith (A Fanfic Episode III) - New! Alternative Ending, 9/16

Chapter 26
Birth of the Twins


?One minute until we drop out of hyperspace.?

Once more the cockpit fell into contemplative silence, as they awaited what would happen next. For months they had shared each other?s company and forged a difficult, yet solid empathy for one another?a shared bond in the face of their dire situation. Now, they would soon find what they had been looking so desperately for all this time. Obi-Wan didn?t know if they would be any safer here, with the massing forces of resistance, but it gave him no small comfort to know he would soon be reunited with his old Masters.

?Just in time, too,? Amidala said, wincing slightly as she shifted in the copilot seat next to him. Yes, there?s that as well. He smiled, and she smiled back.

The swirls of hyperspace abruptly vanished, as realspace streaked towards them with unnerving velocity. Obi-Wan and Padmé both leaned forward, eyes wide open, amazed at the sight before them.

?They?re here,? she whispered. ?They?re all here.?

The space around the grey-green world ahead of them sparkled from the reflected lights of thousands of ships. Vessels of all types and sizes, from a hundred different systems and federations, floated serenely in the void. More than just ships; Obi-Wan saw sentry posts, orbital docks, satellite clouds, battle stations, starfighters?swarms of fighters, numberless, on patrol.

All of this force, massing for the attack? Perhaps we have a chance after all?

The communications system chirped. A cold voice demanded: ?Unidentifed freighter, identify yourself.?

Obi-Wan activated the commlink. ?I am Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi?? his eyes flickered to Amidala, ??responding to the call for Jedi to rally to the side of the Confederacy. I am transmitting my identification codes now.? He pressed a button. Amidala looked worried, but said nothing.

?One moment.? Time passed, and then: ?Welcome back, Master Kenobi. Took you long enough, did it not??

A warm surge of happiness greater than any he had felt in long months filled his heart. ?Thank you, Master Yoda,? he said happily, ?it?s good to be back.? But something tingled at the back of his head?

A new voice responded, that of Master Windu: ?Obi-Wan, you?re just in time. Join us onboard the command ship, we?ll fill you in on everything. Windu out.?

The commlink shut off. Entering the coordinates Mace transmitted, the ship gracefully made its way through the thicket of ships, heading slowly towards the planet.

Obi-Wan sat back in his seat, his gaze locked in furious concentration.

Amidala placed a hand on his shoulder. ?What?s wrong, Obi-Wan??

?I felt something? elusive,? he said vaguely. After a moment, he continued: ?You know, of course, that Count Dooku is here.? She nodded, shivering. ?Perhaps it?s nothing?? His voice faded away.

Peering into his eyes, she had a sudden suspicion. ?But it?s not nothing, is it??

He shook his head. ?No? Perhaps it would be best if you stayed hidden aboard the ship.?

Amidala bit her lip. ?All right, but don?t be too long.? She started, her right hand flying to her belly. ?It won?t be long now,? she said with a strained smile.

He laughed, too suddenly, belying his nervousness. ?Right.?


* * * * *


Obi-Wan piloted his ship into the landing bay of the Techno Union battle cruiser, a great cylindrical vessel brimming with armor and weaponry. He noted with some interest that they were some distance from the rest of the fleet.

Getting up out of his cockpit as the ship touched down, he briskly made his way to the exit ramp. As he walked down the corridors, a hidden panel suddenly popped open, as Amidala raised her head and smiled at him.

?Stay there,? he reminded her. Behind him, he suddenly heard Amidala?s protocol droid pip up: ?But Miss Padmé, why do I have to stay here? You know how much I hate confined spaces?? Her frantic efforts to silence the droid, as well as warblings from the R2 unit disappeared behind him. Smoothing out his robe, he opened the ramp and stepped out onto the landi

 

Chapter 27
Partings


He was born anew.

There was still pain, he would never be fully free of it. But he was no longer nothing; once more, he could move in space, forward and back.

He was not what he was.

It was a fallacy to expect otherwise. Every point of existence was unique, you could never go back, because there was never anything to go back to. Nevertheless, he knew his Master was closer than anyone had ever been to overcoming even that. The Force flowed through Him, danced to His very whim, and the universe followed.

The Others did not understand that, even after He had written that lesson on their bones. He did not understand it, not yet. But he would. One day, some day, he would move beyond the now, to become All.

Not yet. But someday.

His new self was both blessing and curse. To live again was blessing enough, his Master had said, but they both knew this was not true. He was cursed by newness, by the loss of his past. He might be alive, but he was trapped, trapped in the prison of his ruined past, trapped by the blessed/cursed present that kept him alive.

One thing that was new did please him, slightly: his voice. It was a voice of strength, one which commanded attention, which stoked fear. But it was not the voice of his past, but his present. It was not him.

But it was him.

Now free to go forward and back, he longed to lash out, to take his final revenge. But his Master consoled patience. Not yet. Soon, but not yet. So in the meantime he waited, impatiently. Impatience was his greatest weakness, he knew. He was impatient to overcome it, but to give in to it was to be defeated. So he waited.

He had reason for impatience, though. His ruined past flesh was not the only thing trapped in his present; his past thoughts and memories were as well. Inside the prison of his present, he could not escape his past.

And so he seethed, longing to lash out, to destroy his Betrayer, the one who had brought him down. Painful as those memories were, he indulged them, for they were far less so than those others? different memories? memories which filled him with revulsion? with longing?

?Weakness! Stoically he wrenched his gaze away from the dead past, focusing on the living future.

He waited. Soon. But not yet.


* * * * *


He was speaking in as quiet a voice as he could, as if to do so would make it less likely that their conversation would be overheard. I?m taking an awful risk doing this, he thought. Twice they had contacted him asking for assistance; he would not be able to hold them off any longer. But I need their advice.

?What say you, Obi-Wan? Hear you, I could not!?

Despite himself, Obi-Wan smiled. ?You?re certain of this, Master Yoda?? he repeated, speaking a little louder.

?Yes, Obi-Wan, I am.? The ghostly holographic image shifted uncomfortably, mirroring his own unease.

?It?ll kill her. She?ll never do it.?

?Senator Amidala will always do what is right.? He sighed, an odd gesture when transmitted holographically. ?Unlike us.? He straightened. ?You know what you must do, Master Kenobi.?

?Yes, Master Yoda.? The image disappeared. Obi-Wan staggered away, looking outside. The first hints of dawn were visible. He slumped down on the floor, desperate for rest, yet fearful he would fall asleep.

To be a Jedi is a hard life, Qui-Gon had told him long ago. He didn?t tell me it would keep get harder and harder as time went on.

The daylight was getting stronger, almost piercing the everpresent gray mist. He could not even bear to look outside at their encampment. Would he have ever guessed how hard, how cruel duty can be?

A thought popped into his head, so terrible it made him ill, yet so truthful he was compelled to speak it aloud: ?I?m glad you never lived to see this day, Master.?

Obi-Wan shivered.


* * * * *


It was worth it, Padmé thought hazily. For them.

In her arms, Luke and Leia were sleeping peacefully. Although she was deathly tired, some elemental surge of en

 

Chapter 28
The Approaching Storm


On the surface, life on Coruscant appeared no different than before. Traffic to and fro continued at normal levels, the inhabitants went about their daily lives with little or no change in their routines. If there was anything different, it was perhaps best described as a sense of anticipation in the air. News about the war had become relatively scarce, but it was clear to almost everyone that sooner or later, the final confrontation would have to take place. No one knew, however, what the ultimate outcome would be, nor their own reactions to that event. Until the word was given, the waiting game continued, and people were left to their own hidden thoughts.

More than anything else, the symbol of those unspoken concerns was a vacuum, an absence of that which once was. It was a vast empty field, blasted and smoldering, far off from the larger centers of government and commerce. Empty space was rare enough on Coruscant that its existence almost always signified something, but this particular blankness spoke messages too large to be comprehended, and too dangerous to ponder openly. Those who had witnessed the events that took place here many months ago had disappeared?some voluntarily, many not. What once was a vital core of the entire idea and reality of the Republic was now an emptiness, needing to be filled, with no one now daring to do so.

Unbeknownst to most, dark forcers were hard at work seeking to replace the void with its own shadowy forms.


In a hidden conference chamber far away from the capital region and anything visible, the host of military officials consisting of the Republic?s General Staff made their way to the long rectangular table and sat silently, waiting for their orders. Decked out in the newest uniforms of the Republic?s military?dull brown for the Fleet, black for the Legions, these two dozen men represented the core of the New Order that the Chancellor was building. Having successfully eliminated the Jedi threat, these men commanded the greatest concentration of forces the galaxy had ever known, thousands of ships and millions of troops, masters of a hundred thousand worlds? yet all of them shared a constant exasperation with the situation at the front, and an unspoken fear of the power behind them all. They maneuvered in shadow, seeking advantage within as much as at the front, but to a man they also recognized that everything was secondary to obedience to their leader, and that their greatest and most pressing enemies were the men sitting to their left and right. It was a brittle and unstable system, holding together and moving with the ruthless efficiency that only Palpatine could provide.

The Chancellor was late, which made of all of them nervous. Was he preparing to denounce someone at this table? Had one of them sold the rest out? Or would he decide to replace them en masse, and therefore gathered them all in this one place to?

A door on the far side of the room opened, and the Chancellor entered, flanked by his omnipresent red-robed Royal Guards. He wore not his typical sartorial outfits, but instead a simple black robe, hood up. He had been wearing this garment ever since his speech to the Senate after the Jedi were defeated, and no one dared ask the reason behind this change of fashion.

?Good morning, commanders,? he rasped.

?And to you, my Lord,? they responded as one.

A smile flexed the sagging flesh of his face. ?General Tarkin, you may begin the briefing.?

The tall thin man stood, the smugness evident on face. All the other flag officers at the table felt an intense and familiar hatred for the man, who by luck of fate had led the assault against the Jedi and therefore ever since had been the Chancellor?s favorite.

?My Lord, the war progresses well. Ever since the attack on Coruscant, we have steadily made gains??

?I should hope so,? the Chancellor whispered.

Not missing a beat, Tarkin continued smoothly, ??the inevitable result of your generous efforts to provide us with all the tools we need to wa

 

Kind of mixed up thoughts as I was reading. No real analysis, just feelings.

What a wonderful sight the gathering fleet glistening was, Obi-Wan and Padmé went a long time without friends. I liked Padmé being able to read lips, so many stories have vids with no sound or spying with binocs and don?t know what is said. Good, logical characteristics, ?bout time someone thought of lip reading. Too bad it seems she gave herself away. Dooku is still a nasty.

When Padmé?s starting labor Obi says, ?hang on.? to Padmé. He hasn?t been around childbirth much, no problem she can hang on. So does he have a Dr. Spock book?

Great having Anakin reborn the same time as his children and so bitter.
With Padmé having to choose which one to give up, you even got a sniffle out of me, . And, I don?t like kids.

On Coruscant the thoughts in the commanders minds of betrayal and worse was a great summary of Palpatine?s grand plan for the future.

And then... OH! Obi-Wan snatched Leia!!! That?s no way to help Padmé get better. It will get Leia somewhere safe. And, Anakin?s ready to kill again. Good, good, I feel the anger.

Wonderful job, worth the wait! I love power reading the story!

 

Three chapters?! *dances with glee* And really good ones at that! (Not that your other ones aren't really good ) I must put this face up for all the characters--except Palpy, he can go crazy from the hyperspace swirls and kill himself for all I care. Yours might seriously be one of the most realistic takes on Episode III I've read yet, I don't know, something about it seems so . . . canon-movie-ish (yes, I just invented a new word). I've never witnessed childbirth, so I have no idea how realistic it was, but I could really feel her pain at facing the possibility of giving one or both of them up.

 

Scruffy-

I liked how you added a nod to yourself! This is a sad day for them all isn't it. So, will Vader see Padme?

Dana

 

I have been shamefully bad about giving feedback... So sorry. [face_mortified]

I've really enjoyed your take on the events in the "middle" of the story. The idea of a Jedi-Separatist alliance is fascinating -- and you've conveyed the mistrust very well.

I also thought you did a very thoughtful job with the relationship between Obi-Wan and Padme as they move from tension to sincere friendship. (Although I guess she will be quite a bit less pleased after the end of the most recent chapter... ) And I think you struck a good balance in conveying her agony at losing Anakin and then her children without crossing the line into exaggerated instability or hyperbole.

As I said, I'm really enjoying your "AU" version of EpIII. There are certainly some storytelling decisions you've made that I'd have made differently, and obviously some are different from what it seems GL has in store. What's made this a great read, though, is that your story is both internally consistent and true to the spirit of the films. It's not easy to do -- and in my opinion you've done it.

Looking forward to more.

 

Hey everyone, thanks for the feedback so far. But I'd love to hear from everyone else too!

I think I'll be able to finish the story by the end of the month--plus there might be some extras later. The next post will probably be out over the weekend, so in the meantime, here's a link to the original Part 2 of my script for your reading pleasure:

Part Two

This part had quite a few changes from the first, but the final part will be very similar to the original.

Till then, take care all!

Scruffy

 

Wow. Wow. Wow. One for each chapter. That's all I can say for now.

And also, Padme will not be a happy woman when she wakes up. I hope the Jedi are far away by then.

 

A three-chapter post? Excellent

The plot is moving along quickly, but there's a lot going on along the way in terms of emotion and intrigue. I thought Padme's decision was gut-wrenching and well-written. It makes sense that she would have had to make the choice, since there wouldn't be any way to do it without her knowing and we know that Leia remembered her mother. Just hard to imagine any mother having to go through that.

I also liked the uncertainty and fear surrounding Palpatine's new government. In a rule by tyranny and fear, no one is ever safe, and being close to power can be almost worse than being away from it. Will be interesting to see how Vader is introduced into the mix.

Last thought - it's really interesting to me to picture how this movie will look, and your writing makes it easy to visualize

Looking forward to part 3!

 

WOW! I really had to catch up on so major reading! I too liked how Anakin was reborn at the same time as his children. Destiny is ironic.

 

Woohoo! Here it is, the climax of Revenge of the Sith!

First, thanks for everyone's patience, I know I haven't always been timely with my posts. It's getting more and more difficult to do so, unfortunately, after all fanfic is a hobby but not a job! But today begins the climax of the story, with five posts including this one and a two-part Epilogue. If you've enjoyed the story to date, I just hope you enjoy the action-packed conclusion!

Second, thanks to my faithful readers!

Altaira - No real counter-analysis, just my thanks!

Allyjy007 - Thanks a lot! When I first wrote my script (my speculation about what Ep 3 could be like), I tried to keep it as much in the spirit of the movies as possible. Your comment means a lot to me!

DANA28 - Thanks, GL may not want to do a cameo in his movies, but I don't mind! You'll see...

Darth Lex - No problem, fanfic authors are exempt from keeping up with other fanfic stories, IMO! Your comments are very kind, just glad you're enjoying the story!

Delight - Thank you, thank you, thank you! Spoiler: Padme does strange things when she's angry!

irishjedi49 - I always loved that scene in ANH with the Death Star and all the Imperial toadies! Another very kind comment about visualizing, thanks very much!

Chinchillafairy - Welcome back! No problem, read when you can, comment when you can! Actually, the parallel between the birth of the twins and of V**** ( ) was an idea I 'borrowed' from someone else (hint hint Nubian Queen ) Originally my story had no scenes with V**** undergoing his transformation, as I'm suspecting the real Ep 3 won't either, but it's possible in written fiction, so I did it. Hope people enjoyed it!

All right, the moment is here! When we last left the story, Obi-Wan has disappeared into the night, absconding with Padme's daughter Leia Skywalker to take her to safety. Due to her illness (a broken heart?), Padme is unable to go as well, so she remains on Dagobah. Yoda, Mace, Dooku and all the separatists have learned that the Republic knows where they are and is on their way. A trap has been laid... but will it succeed?

Read on to find out!

 

Part III ? The Battle of Dagobah
Chapter 29


The shuttle dropped out of hyperspace relatively far out from Dagobah. The moment it did so Obi-Wan braced for the worst?with the Republic due to arrive any moment now, everyone?s nerves would be at the breaking point, and if just one of the many thousands of ships had a commander with an itchy trigger finger? sure enough, a flurry of sensor radiation struck his ship, followed immediately by warning alarms?weapons locks, from the decoy fleet orbiting over the planet ahead of him. With a slightly trembling hand, he transmitted his identification codes. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he waited, then suddenly:

??What are you doing, clear the spacelanes immediately, you miserable lump of Jedi poodoo?? He smiled as he acknowledged the traffic control officer, who continued to hurl a stream of Basic and alien invectives his way.

Passing closer, he could not see the cloaked fleet at all on any of his sensors. Looking outside, space appeared as normal as ever. Then another idea came to him. Closing his eyes, he reached out with the Force. Reaching? there. I sense their presence, great numbers? all of them tense and anxious. It worried him; what if Palpatine was with them? Would he detect them as well? No, there?s no way he can tell where they are exactly?the decoys will see to that.

Dagobah grew steadily larger in his viewscreen as he passed by the right flank of the decoy fleet hovering in geosynchronous orbit above the main base. At this range, the deception was obvious: cruisers that were in actuality spindly metallic constructs, fighters that were personal space yachts. The space docks and orbital facilities were real, erected soon after the separatists had begun massing here, but everything except a handful of craft were carefully constructed facsimiles, equipped with hyperspace transponders and miniature fusion reactors designed to reflect an image of real warships. By the time they close range enough to notice, the trap should be set. A thrill of excitement filled him: this just might work!

Plunging into the atmosphere, the air beyond shimmered and glowed. The now-familiar gray-green landscape beckoned, and as he approached the brightly lit landing field in the center of the great crater, a renewed sense of urgency arose within. ?I?ve got to get Padmé out of here immediately,? he murmured to himself.


* * * * *


Activity in the control center had dwindled to a minimum: everyone present had long since carried out whatever preparations were needed to get ready for the coming battle. All that remained was the wait for their enemy to arrive.

Mace Windu casually surveyed the assembly around him, the momentary rush of excitement having faded once the contact had been revealed to be not a Republic scout, but one of their own ships returning, albeit very late. He was about to say something to Yoda when he noticed Count Dooku walking over to him, a slight frown on his face.

?What was Master Kenobi doing?? Dooku asked with a touch of suspicion.

?Just some local reconnaissance of the system,? Mace replied, keeping his voice casual. The truth was he did not know what Obi-Wan was doing, at least not exactly. Calm, be calm? ?My apologies, he should have reported to Command before departing.?

Dooku held his gaze on him for a while, then nodded. ?No matter.? He turned to Yoda, now smiling. ?Victory awaits us, Master Yoda,? he said confidently.

Yoda made a hum of agreement, but then said, ?How soon will they arrive, Count??

The Count?s smile became more wolfish. ?At maximum speed, they could have arrived yesterday. Obviously they haven?t, so we wait at full alert until they do.?

?Indeed. Let us hope we prevail,? Yoda said, his voice somewhat distant as he looked at the holographic map.

?We shall,? the Count replied curtly, then bowed and left to resume conversing with the other separatist leaders huddled about the map. Many of them were laughing as Dooku described in gruesome detail the

 

Hey scruffy-looking, enough fun, edit again, I logged in at work [face_shocked]

EDIT: Here?s my post. I?m glad Obi-Wan came back for Padmé. With the battle almost upon them, at this moment of ?trust? Yoda and Dooku find an understanding, (but watch your back!) just in case. And, with later reading that lightning throwing jerk...

I likes Lon?s thought about computers, I left work early yesterday, and told my bosses my computer wasn?t happy. It will work better in the morning me, on the other hand.... I?m almost as tall as a wookie...

As the battle is upon them, it would be a hard time for the Jedi, after so many were killed to keep an open mind and not let hate enter their thoughts, but goodness is suppose to reign. As the betrayal begins at least Nute Gunray gets it Lon although mostly a bad buy, I was hoping he?d of made it out.

Even with Obi-Wan reservations, Padmé can inspire anyone. Liked the wipe on 3PO and his is still doggin? R2.

 

You know, I didn't see Obiwan returning for Padme coming at all. Despite all his protestations about keeping Padme safe, I thought he'd head off to protect the children.

I like the description of how the Separatists could fail in their plans if the Republicans did stay out of range, and bingo!... they did! (and of course the emotions that took reigned after that betrayal was made manifest.) THis war story is very well told indeed.

Keep up the good work!!!

P.S. Please keep Dooku alive until Vader arrives on the scene?

P.S.S. Well, there goes the rest of the Jedi, trapped on ships that are now trapped by their enemies. et lux perpetua luceat eis.

P.s.s.s. Please post soon, I'm hanging off the cliff by the strength of fingernails...

 

Ok, I'm pressed for time, so here's the next post, hope more people reply this time! Thanks again. Altaira and Delight for leaving comments!


-----

Chapter 30


High above Dagobah, the five massive fleets of ships maneuvered into position. Caught by surprise by the sudden arrival of two additional fleets behind them, the separatist commanders frantically pondered their options. Boldly, they ordered their two fleets to continue on their present course towards the first Republic task force, gambling they would be able to wipe them out with their superior numbers before having to turn about and face the other two Republic groups, who were firing up their engines in order to close. There was no time to spare: a matter of seconds could be the difference between victor and defeat. Rapidly putting aside their shock and dismay over having the tables turned on them, the lead elements of the separatist fleets made contact with those of the Republic.


?Break right! Two on your tail!?
?There?s too many of them, I can?t??
??Target 27-Alpha is down, adjust heading to 115??

Saar Labooda frantically spun his fighter to avoid the three TIE-fighters attempting to bracket him with fire. He zigzagged through space, even risking the fire from a Republic frigate to force his pursuers to break off. His efforts had given him just enough time to circle back to the main dogfight taking place above the plane of action. Freed from immediate danger, he began searching for targets, and quickly one revealed itself?an X-wing with a damaged engine was attempting to leave the battle. With just a hint of battlelust, he altered vectors, closed and fired two shots, which impacted against the enemy starfighter and blew it to pieces. Beneath him, the two fleets were unleashing massive barrages of turbolaser fire against each other: even as he blinked he witnessed more than a dozen large ships from both sides exploding. The hulls of many other ships sparkled and glowed with battle damage, while others floated aimlessly through space, reduced to lifeless metal husks.

He was unable to do any further assessment of the battle; the squadron commander had ordered all available fighters to cover a strike wing that was detaching to making a firing run against a Republic Star Destroyer. A handful of fighters joined with the attack squadron and they began their dive, diverting all power to their forward shields to protect themselves from the steady increase of fire from the Destroyer. To his left and right fighters blew up as the enemy guns found their mark. A sudden warbling caught his attention: enemy fighters, closing fast! He soon saw them, a dozen X-wings and TIE-fighters racing to intercept. The remaining fighters broke free to meet this new threat, leaving the bombers to fend for themselves. As he artfully maneuvered through space in a graceful looping pattern, terminating with a point-blank shot into a very surprised TIE-fighter pilot, another squadron of fighters had joined the melee, tearing into the bombers. Within seconds, they were gone. Their mission now superfluous, he immediately broke off and returned at maximum speed to the main fleet, which was now coming under attack from a second wave of Republic strike craft.

Slowly, inexorably, the tide of battle started to turn.


* * * * *

Inside the ruined command center, Yoda and Mace circled warily about Count Dooku, who in turn was constantly on the move, shifting with a grace and guile that belied his aging years. Never allowing the two of them to surround him, he parried and dodged their attacks, fighting with an economy of motion as his extra-long lightsaber swirled and flashed with unnerving speed.

?Tell me, Master Windu,? he said sneeringly as Mace was forced to back off after his attack had been blocked, ?how does it feel to have fallen to our guile once again??

Mace said nothing, gathering his strength to launch himself at the Count in a fierce thrust. Dooku?s grin faded as he barely blocked Mace?s attack in time to respond to Yoda?s, wh

 

Well, I tried to reply after your last post, but it wouldn't go through! Grr...I hope I can reply now!

Wow, can you write action! From space battles to lightsaber battles...that was amazing...everything was described so vividly I could "see" what was going on! So Count Dooku is no more...interesting events going on. I really can't wait to see what's in store for us next! I just hope the real Episode III is this good!

 

Nice to have my bad boy Lon back.

The battles had wonderful fast action, again, with so much destruction and my favorite dark pilot is back too.

Teamwork was definitely needed against the evil Dooku, worked better this time around Dooku was hard to beat as it should be. Those evil ones always die so extravagantly, gotta love it and wonder how they keep it all contained within until their death.

Wonderful chapter and cliffie.

 

Yoda surrendered 'brightly'? What is there to be so happy about, other than the chance to annoy Palpatine some? Or stage a mid-transport disappearance act? Can't wait to find out!

The five-way battle to end Dooku's life was great too.

Good work!

 

Wow!

Great posts. This is just like the movies, with space battles intercut with lightsaber battles -- and, of course, minor scenes with the droids I like how you arranged for 3PO's memory wipe and their (fateful) ending up on Alderaan. Nice continuity with Dooku exploding like the Emperor and C'baoth, etc. And very strong rendering of Obi and Padme, pushed to the limit emotionally but finding strength to try to save their friends.

This is truly gripping

 

All right, time for another post! Yeah! Keep the feedback rolling, I love feedback!

RebelPrincess - You broke Altaira's streak! Writing action is a lot of fun, and I'm glad you've been able to visualize it so easily!

Altaira- "Patience... in time, he will come and seek you out.."

In case your curious, Lon has a young nephew who will one day become master of the droids. Glad you enjoyed the battle--if you thought the last chapter had a cliffie, wait till you read this one!

Delight - You know, you're right, that didn't come out right. In retrospect, it should have been Yoda responding equably, with dignity. Maybe I'll fix it later.

irishjedi49 - Thanks! I hope people also caught that last little bit about the remnants of Dooku's life force disappearing into a small little cave nearby. Gotta tie up all those loose ends, right?

All right, the moment we have been waiting for is finally at hand! Read on to find out!

 

Chapter 31


The last of the separatist ships desperately holding the line against the advancing Republic forces blew up in a spectacular flash. Immediately they raced forward, descending upon the beleaguered separatist forces and almost completely surrounding them. All semblance of formation order and battle discipline broke down as, with terrifyingly methodical effort, the Republic ships systematically obliterated everything in their path.

In the face of their own deaths, many of the lower-level separatist commanders tried to surrender, often attempting to enhance the offer with promises of secret riches. More than a few commanders, either out of avarice or sympathy, would have accepted had they the leeway to, but the word had been ruthlessly laid out before they left the capital world: no prisoners, no survivors?no witnesses. There were many things that needed to die here, alone and forgotten. Somewhat surprisingly, very few actually fought to the bitter end??death before dishonor? was not, and had never been, the Confederacy?s slogan, although quite a few Nemoidian captains did opt for trying to take as many of the enemy with them. The last remaining Trade Federation battleship, completely ablaze, drove itself towards a group of Republic ships and blew up right in front of them, a sacrifice which not only destroyed several ships, but also allowed another group of Corporate Alliance transports to escape.

For the vast majority, the goal was escape, and survival. With the end upon them, most of the remaining separatist ships fired up their engines at full power and rocketed ahead haphazardly, a suicidal bravado born of desperation, leaving it to blind chance whether they lived or not. Most lost the gamble and were cut down, but so many ships were trying to escape in all different directions, that here and there small groups managed to break free. They vanished into hyperspace literally one step ahead of the laser fire seeking to destroy them.

Within minutes the space within which the separatist fleet was trapped had emptied out, as the once mighty host of the Confederacy was no more, either fled from the system or blasted to bits. Slowly, the great mass of Republic ships reversed direction and began to fan out in pursuit of the ragged remnants. Over Dagobah, the battle had finally come to a close.


But in any war, even final victory leaves a host of loose ends.


* * * * *

Under the watchful eye of eight gunships, the shuttle lifted off from the shattered field and rocketed to space. As it entered low orbit, a squadron of TIE-fighters flew constant patrols around the shuttle, under strict orders to blow it up the instant it tried to escape.

Yoda, Mace, Obi-Wan and Padmé sat silently, their hands bounded with restraining cuffs. None of them contemplated the possibility of escape: still exhausted physically after the protracted battle with Dooku, and mentally from the shocking turn of events of the past few hours. With the knowledge that they were being brought before the architect of their ruin, a calm determination filled them?acceptance at the likelihood of death, but also a determination not to give in to the despair of the moment. No doubt that was what he most wanted; they would not give it to him, even at the cost of their lives.

Sitting across the hold from the others, Padmé gave the Jedi a shy smile, which only Obi-Wan reciprocated. She couldn?t see much looking out the window, but it seemed that the battle had died down. The shuttle shuddered with the sound of what she knew was of decelerating engines. Peering out, she could just see the details of a massive white ship glinting in the stark sunlight of outer space.


They became slightly more voluble as they marched through the gleaming corridors of the ship.

?I have a bad feeling about this,? Mace said gravely. A squad of clonetroopers walked ahead of them, while another squad followed behind.

Padmé shifted her head to the side, and saw him smile sardonically. Returning the favor with a wry look of her own, she sai

 

ooo...ooo..ooo... jumping up and down! Palpatine did have a final surprise for them. And he does like to gloat. I?m switching sides again!

I liked Palpatine rubbing their noses in the darkside. Telling the truth from his POV. Now, how are they going to get out of this one... good thing I have a bad memory (the script was only my second read related to TFN, been almost a year)

This has been a wonderful new read. Too bad I have too much of a conscious to be evil, but I do have my moments. Hmmm? The dark path is easier?...

 

Please don't kill Padme Scruffy.

 

NOOOO, you can't leave it there!! Must see battle...

Sorry I've taken so long to reply, I'm really busy getting ready for college. Loved all the posts, Vadey's back!! I also liked the bit about the evil cave being Dooku's remnants. I wonder what Vader thought when he saw Padmé there--probably focusing on exacting revenge from the Jedi for "stealing" her, though. I wonder how she's gonna die...