Saga Under Fire (an ROTS AU)

Title: Under Fire
Author: anakin_girl
Timeframe: ROTS, into the intertrilogy era
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padme Amidala, Mace Windu, Yoda, Palpatine, Bail Organa
Pairings: A/P
Genre: AU, angst, drama
Summary: Anakin does not turn to the Dark Side, Palpatine does not become Emperor, but he has amassed enough power during his extended Chancellorship to leave the Republic in shambles. Can the Jedi and the coalition of 2000 rebuild it?

Notes: This is not my first fan fiction but it has been 6 or 7 years since last time I wrote creatively; everything in between has been papers for school.

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. If I did, my children's college funds would be set, they would have their own Star Wars playroom, we would have a summer home in Alaska, and Obi-Wan Kenobi and I would not share the same opinion of ROTS: "I cannot bear to watch."

Characters and some dialogue belong to Lucas, some dialogue belongs to Matthew Stover, the rest is mine.

ETA: PM List:

DarthBreezy
92SE-R
FitJedi
iceaffinity
DoubleEO
Dave1307
The1stJediPrincess
Jedi_Liz
Lady_Jedi93

Without further ado...

***************

Prelude

It is a dark time for the Republic. The war with the Separatists has continued for three years now, and no end is in sight. Two Jedi Knights, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, have successfully rescued Supreme Chancellor Palpatine from the clutches of General Grievous, and Skywalker killed the Sith apprentice Count Dooku, but General Grievous escaped yet again. The Jedi are dwindling in numbers, and many are battle-scarred and discouraged, barely remembering their former role as peacekeepers of the Republic. Kenobi and Skywalker have returned to Coruscant, where Skywalker is reunited with Senator Amidala, to whom he is secretly married. Senator Amidala shares with Skywalker that she is pregnant with their child. Meanwhile, the Senator has joined a coalition of 2000 others who are speaking out against the refusal to open peace talks with the Separatists and the further accumulation of power by the Supreme Chancellor, who is using war as an excuse to continuously bend the Constitution to his will.

Chapter 1

"And I need just a little more silence
And I need just a little more time
But you send your thieves to me
silently stalking me
Dragging me into your war..." Sarah McLachlan

Senator Padme Amidala was screaming in pain. All blood had drained from her face, her brow was covered in sweat, her teeth clenched in agony. Another wave of pain hit and she cried out again. ?Anakin! Anakin, help me! I love you! ANAKIN!? In the background came the sound of a baby?s lusty cry, even as his mother lost consciousness and screamed no more?

Anakin Skywalker woke up with a start, drenched in sweat, his breath caught in his throat. He glanced quickly beside him where his wife Padme slept peacefully, her dark curly hair fanned behind her, one hand resting on her pregnant belly. Tears of relief came to Anakin?s eyes. She was alright. She was healthy. Anakin buried his face in his hands and sobbed quietly. The dream had been so real, so vivid. Just like the one he had had three years ago. One that turned out to be prophetic.

Anakin wiped his eyes, got out of bed and walked down the hall, down the stairs and

 

So Obi-Wan might learn of Anakin and Padme' relationship? Interesting.

If there's a PM list, may I be on it? Either way, can't wait for more!

 

Lol wonder what obi wan would say...

Please pm put me on the pm list =)

How did Ahsoka die?

 

Interesting concept...please continue!

 

Interesting story! Place me on the PM list if you do not mind

 

I'm interested to see where this goes. I hope Anakin decides to follow through with telling Obi-Wan. Please put me on your PM list if you decide to keep one.

 

You're back!!! You're back!!! Hooray!!!!''

(Love that it's AU.....)

 

W00t! I have readers!

Thanks all for the replies.

pbj13: Well...I won't spoil too much on that one. There is a scene in the ROTS script, one which never made it to the movie, in which Obi-Wan tells Padme that he is onto her and Anakin.

TheFunnyLittleYoda: More details on Ahsoka will probably come up later in a flashback scene; I haven't fleshed it out yet, other than Grievous has her lightsaber. I Ahsoka, I hope to ensure that she gets a scene worthy of her character.

GeneralKenobi7: Thanks!

G_Anakin: Thanks! Starting my PM list...

Sara_Kenobi: That scene is coming...

geo3: and Good to see you here, feels like old times. I owe you some replies, I'm a few scenes behind in Fortune's Gate (*thwacks grad school with a wet noodle*), hope to be caught up soon.

Next post will be up later tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

Good Start!!!

 

Thanks Anakins_girl.

Here is the next post:

**********

Anakin rushed down the hall of the Temple to the Jedi Briefing Room, where Obi-Wan Kenobi was alone, shutting down several holograms and gathering datapads. ?You missed the reports on the Outer Rim sieges,? Obi-Wan said.

Anakin caught his breath. ?Sorry,? he said. ?I was held up.? He had gone to bed, at dawn. He had awakened a couple of hours later, with only moments to spare before the morning meeting.

Obi-Wan smiled. ?In short, they are going very well,? he said. ?Saleucami has fallen, and Master Vos has moved his troops to Boz Pity.? He paused. ?Anakin, you look horrible. Have you not slept??

He shook his head. ?Bad dreams,? he muttered.

?Still? You?re exhausted, Anakin, and after Ahsoka?I?m sorry, Padawan, I know none of this is easy. But as I told you before, dreams pa..?

?Pass in time. Yeah, right, whatever, Master. Just like that dream about my mother just passed in time.? Although he was expecting a repeat of Obi-Wan?s dismissal, it still left him shaking with anger. He wanted to stomp out of the room, but he had promised Padme that he would tell Obi-Wan about the dream. Although he felt that, as usual, he was probably right about him. This was going to do absolutely no good.

Obi-Wan sighed. ?Anakin, I am trying to be understanding, I just think you?re giving this too much credence. Your mother didn?t die because you had a dream. Death is a natural part of life. There is nothing you could have done.?

This time Anakin snapped. ?That just shows how little you know, Obi-Wan!? He yelled. ?When I found her, she was exactly as I saw her in my dream! And if you had listened to me and let me leave earlier, I most certainly could have done something.? Anakin collapsed into the nearest chair, his head in his hands, long fingers tearing at his hair.

For a few minutes there was no sound in the room. Finally Obi-Wan said softly, ?Anakin, you never told me what happened on Tatooine.?

Anakin did not answer right away. Obi-Wan put hand on his shoulder and said, ?Should we go to my quarters instead?? Anakin nodded, stood, and walked with his master out of the briefing room and down the hall. They arrived at Obi-Wan?s quarters two floors up a few minutes later. Anakin sank into the couch in the living area, rubbing his eyes. Obi-Wan sat beside him. ?Now,? he said, ?will you tell me what happened??

Anakin took a deep breath and began. ?I found Watto pretty quickly, he was still in the same shop. He told me that he had sold my mother to a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars, who freed her and married her, and that they were living on the other side of Mos Eisley. He gave me the directions and we went out there. Her husband said that she had been gone for a month, kidnapped by Sandpeople, and that the Sandpeople had killed almost all of the farmers who had tried to rescue her. They had cut off his leg; he was planning to try to find her again after he healed. I went out right away, searched for the camp and found it that night.? Anakin was crying. ?She had been beaten, her eyes were swollen shut, her face bruised, she had several broken bones?? He took a couple of deep breaths. ?She was tied to a rack of some sort. I took her down, she touched my face, told me she was proud of me and said she was complete now, and then she?? Anakin was overtaken by sobs.

For several minutes Obi-Wan said nothing. Then he asked, ?Why didn?t you tell me??

Anakin looked up, his face blotched with tears. ?What? And get yelled at again for going to Tatooine in the first place? I did the right thing, Obi-Wan. She looked just like she did in my dream, when she was calling me. My mistake was not listening to her sooner. I should have left as soon as I had the first dream, then she would still be alive.? Anakin clenched his jaw. ?It won?t happen again. My dreams don?t pass in time, Obi-Wan. They come true. It?s up to me to stop it from happening.?

?What kind of dream

 

I liked it =)

Wonder when Anakin would tell Obi Wan about his massacre at Tatooine. It's gonna be interesting.

 

I've always wondered how much Master Yoda really knew -- about a lot of stuff. I suspect you've been wondering the same thing.

One of my favorite things in AOTC was the way, after every major event in Anakin's life, the film would cut to Yoda looking as if he was sniffing the wind, as if he sensed something (or everything?). You couldn't tell. In ROTS I was looking for a resolution of that thread, but of course, it wasn't there.

I'm really enjoying your story! It's rare to find one nowadays that focuses on these topics.

Again, WB!

 

What Geo said! Please put me on the PM list!

 

Thanks everyone.

TheFunnyLittleYoda: Unfortunately the Tusken slaughter becomes a recurring theme for Anakin, and one he carried virtually alone in the films.

geo3: I think Yoda knew virtually everything that happened and chose, for reasons of his own, not to interfere. Maybe he felt that intervening would disrupt destiny or make matters worse. I always wondered why, particularly after seeing the Tusken slaughter through the Force, he didn't ask any questions. Was there no time? Was it just not Yoda's style? I definitely think he had to have sensed Anakin and Padme's feelings for each other.

ratna: Done.

Next chapter, in which we meet my version of the snake oil salesman. (I haven't decided which is my better motivator for writing AUs: wanting Anakin and the Jedi to get a better deal, or the fact that I seriously cannot stand Palps.)

**********

?Leave me be, I don?t want to argue
I just get confused and I come all undone
And if I agree then it?s just to appease you
?Cause I don?t remember what we?re fighting for?? Sarah McLachlan

Chapter 2


Anakin stood in Palpatine?s office. He and the Chancellor were gazing out the window at the landscape of Coruscant.

?The war has left much suffering here,? Palpatine said.

Anakin nodded. ?Too much,? he replied.

?I was sorry to hear about your Padawan,? Palpatine said. ?I understand that she fought bravely.?

Anakin nodded again. ?She always did,? he said. ?Grievous was too much for her, as he was for many knights twice her age. If only I had been with her instead of freeing the hostages on another level. She should not felt that she had to take him alone.? Anakin swallowed hard.

Palpatine put a comforting hand on Anakin?s shoulder. ?You taught her well. Her courage may have been foolishly placed in that battle, but it was an admirable trait overall, and she learned it from you.?

Anakin swallowed again and blinked furiously. ?Thank you, Your Excellency, but I would say that her courage was her own.? He returned his gaze to the window. ?She is at peace now, one with the Force.?

Palpatine nodded. ?That she is,? he said, then changed the subject quickly. ?Anakin, I?m sure you are wondering why I called you here.?

?Yes,? Anakin said.

?This afternoon, the Senate is going to call on me to take direct control of the Jedi Council.?

Anakin, startled, gazed at the Chancellor. ?Why?? he asked. ?Do you mean that the Jedi will no longer report to the Senate??

?They will report to me?personally. The Senate is too unfocused to conduct a war. This will bring a quick end to things.?

?The Jedi Council may not see it that way.?

?There are times when we must all endure adjustments to the constitution in the name of security.?

?With all due respect, sir, the Council is in no mood for more constitutional amendments.? Nor am I, Anakin added silently, looking out the window again. Is this what the Chancellor?s ?emergency powers? have done? They certainly haven?t helped the war end any faster. We?ve granted him as many powers as he?s wanted, let him stay in office long past the end of his term, and still the war continues? He suddenly felt he was channeling Padme, and took pride in that fact.

?I have no choice,? Palpatine replied. ?The war must be won.?

?Again, sir, with all due respect, I don?t see how your taking over the Jedi Council is going to help that come to pass. The Jedi are not losing the war. We are doing the best we can to win it.?

?It?s not that simple.? Palpatine sighed. ?Anakin, I?ve known you since you were a small boy. I have advised you over the years when I could, and I am very proud of your accomplishments. You have won many battles that the Jedi Council thought were lost?and you saved my life. I hope you trust me.?

Anakin looked at the Chancellor again, wondering where the man could possibly be going with this. Anakin recognized the false flattery, and did not like it at all. He

 

YES Ahsoka got killed by Grievous .

But I was wondering if Palpatine would directly say things such as 'remember who befriened you ever since you arrived', of course I'm not saying theres anything wrong with it.
great update

 

Oops, missed the post in between the two. But, I'm glad that Yoda didn't just say "let those dreams pass" but actually told him the consequneces of searching for a solution.

Finally, finally, Anakin actually told Obi-Wan.

Chpt. 2: I agree with LittleYoda. Ahsoka is dead! Wonderful! And she did it while being stupid, too! Again, wonderful! I mean, really, an 17, 18 year old beating the General? No 17/18 can do that!

"We?ll discuss democracy and the Council?s so-called push for more control when you stop amending the Constitution to give yourself more powers, Your Excellency." Thank you, for that. So glad that Anakin's not naive against Palpatine and his little manipulation. It's amusing to imagine Palpatine calling after Anakin, sounding like he's pleading. Ussually, it's the other way around. Sorta. Anakin wants Palpatine's praise, now? Not so much.

Can't wait for more!

 

Anakin looked at the Chancellor again, wondering where the man could possibly be going with this. Anakin recognized the false flattery, and did not like it at all. He thirsted for praise, sincere praise, and often missed it from Obi-Wan and the Jedi Council. However, Palpatine?s disingenuousness felt even more insulting than the Jedi?s complete lack of acknowledgement. At least the latter, if often hurtful, was reliable and honest. Anakin had no tolerance for game-playing.

Ahh, at least he's recognizing the difference between flattery, sincere praise, and honesty/reliability. That shows some level of maturity here.

 

Just read all the updates... awesome! awesome! awesome!

It's nice to have a beta to read your stories, and the Force knows you've read through a lot of my drabble.
It's nice to see you writing something, and it's so vivid! Looking forward to reading more. Please add me to your PM list, if you have one!

 

TheFunnyLittleYoda: You have made me think. Which I appreciate. You might be right about Palpatine; it may be in his nature to be way more subtle than I've made him out to be here. I was wondering if he would take a more direct approach with Anakin, similar to what he did with Luke, if Anakin were not so easily swayed by the oh-so-subtle, sneaky efforts to turn him against the Jedi. With Luke, Palpatine was more direct, even threatening.

pbj13: I always thought a guy as gifted as Anakin, should not have been so easily fooled. Unfortunately Anakin also had the desperate need for approval, which Palpatine played on.

I was wondering why people were cheering about Ahsoka being dead. Now I get it. No Ahsoka Sue. Definitely not in this story; I like her, but...yeah. Like her Master, she's impulsive, and if Anakin had charged Dooku alone in AOTC, he'd have met the same fate.

dm1: Yes. I found it frustrating that Anakin in ROTS could not see through the bull that Palps fed him.

92SE-R: Thanks! Will do.

Thanks all for reading. Next post will be up tonight.

 

Thanks!

Here's the next post. I've got about seven chapters written so far and I plan to post every 1-2 days for the next couple of weeks or so, then it will probably slow down.

A little A/P...

**********

?Good day, Master Anakin,? C3PO said, admitting the Jedi into his wife?s apartments.

?Hello, 3PO,? he said. ?Do you know where I can find Padme??

?In the living area, sir, or maybe the hall, she is doing a lot of walking. She seems rather anxious,? 3PO said. ?I don?t quite know what to do.?

R2D2 let out a series of beeps. ?I know that, R2,? 3PO said, ?but humans don?t usually do that much walking unless they are going somewhere. Miss Padme is just walking across the carpet over and over again.?

?I?ll handle it,? Anakin replied, entering the living area where Padme was pacing, her fists clenched. He hugged and kissed her, then took her hands in his. ?Hey,? he said, ?What?s going on??

?It?s Palpatine,? she spat, letting go of Anakin?s hands and pacing again. ?I don?t know what he?s trying to pull here but this is not the same man who was my Senator when I was Queen. I put him in office, I trusted him, and look how he repays me. By turning himself into a dictator.? Her fists clenched and unclenched rapidly.

Anakin put his arm around her shoulders and led her to the sofa, then put his hand under her chin, forcing her to look at him. ?Stop,? he said. ?Now sit down, and start from the beginning. What exactly has the Chancellor done??

She sighed, and obeyed, sitting on the couch with Anakin beside her, his arm still wrapped around her. ?Palpatine has posted a decree not only taking charge of the Jedi Council, but also appointing Governors to oversee each star system of the Republic. Not systems loyal to the Separatists, all systems," she said.

Anakin?s heart sank. ?I knew he was taking control of the Council. He told me that himself. But Governors? I don?t understand.?

?They will report directly to him. The appointments are supposedly for security reasons.? She spat the word security. ?He should just dissolve the Senate. We are no longer allowed to serve our people as we were elected to do. We do his bidding or we get accused of aiding and abetting the Separatists.? Padme sighed again. ?All the constitutional amendments, several executive directives a day, and if anyone questions why, the response, from Palpatine himself and from the Senators loyal to him, are that it is necessary because of the war. Anakin, what has this war done to us? I thought we were fighting to preserve democracy and keep the Republic intact.?

?We are,? he said. ?The Chancellor?I don?t know anymore. If concentrating more power into the Chancellor?s office would end the war, the war would have ended years ago.?

?The Separatists have already won. They have succeeded in what they set out to do. They have destroyed the Republic as we knew it.? Tears shone in Padme?s eyes.

He kissed her. ?There is still time,? he said. ?The Republic is fragile but it still exists. It can be preserved, restored.? He stood. ?I'm on my way to meet with the Jedi Council. The Chancellor has asked for something rather unorthodox, I want to see if they?ve gotten word of it.?

?More unorthodox than taking complete charge of the Jedi and turning you into his personal lackeys??

Anakin frowned and nodded. ?I?m afraid that?s only the beginning.? He met her eyes. ?He asked me to spy on them, to be his personal representative on the Council. He thinks the Council is pushing for more control. The irony could not be more absurd.?

Padme?s eyes widened. ?Did you?accept it??

He shook his head. ?I told him that the Council appoints its own members and I would not ask them to make an exception for me. It?s insulting really. Does he really think that the only way I?ll ever achieve Mastery is if he personally vouches for me and makes them seat me on the Council? I?ve led numerous squadrons into winning battles, I kil

 

Love how this is going political.

 

Interesting indeed....

" I put him in office, I trusted him, and look how he repays me. By turning himself into a dictator.? "

Well, Padme, you weren't the only one. People voted for him.

Ah, politics. Gotta love it.

 

Whoa! You're posting fast!

Having a busy weekend - hang on - will get here!

 

TheFunnyLittleYoda: Glad you like the politics. This is only the beginning of the political parts; the chapters I've written so far have been more political than I anticipated. The political story was one of the more fascinating parts of the prequels to me.

pbj13: Nope, she wasn't the only one. I've always wondered if she didn't end up kicking herself over that no-confidence vote though. Supposedly Palps had a supermajority in the Senate by ROTS although Wookieepedia isn't specific about it.

geo3: I'm going to have to slow down soon, definitely within a week or two (out of town with little 'Net access and then fall semester starts); just trying to give the story some momentum so to speak. Take your time, look forward to your feedback when you get a chance. I had to catch up on something like 20 posts in your story.

Compiling my PM list and I'll update it in the OP.

Thanks everyone for reading and replying, I appreciate it.

Now, the Council, and Anakin and Obi-Wan.

**********

?Anakin Skywalker.? Mace Windu?s voice echoed through the Council chamber. ?The Council has decided to comply with Chancellor Palpatine?s directive, and with the instructions of the Senate that give him the unprecedented authority to command the Jedi.?

Anakin looked down. The Senate had done exactly as Palpatine asked. No questions, no deliberation. Anakin remembered a time when he would have called this process efficient, and considered it an improvement. Now he saw a Chancellor who seemed to have extraordinary talent for getting exactly what he wanted, using the war as an excuse.

?You are hereby granted a seat at the High Council of the Jedi.?

Anakin raised his head quickly. ?Sir?? He replied.

"We will also grant the Chancellor's request to allow you to represent him personally on this Council. Please take a seat, Master Skywalker."

?Master Windu, please understand?I was not expecting this, nor did I request it. I explained to the Chancellor that the Council appoints its own members.?

?Disturbing is this move by Chancellor Palpatine,? Yoda agreed.

Mace nodded. ?However, Anakin, we do still appoint our own members. We are appointing you. Your name had already come up for Mastery. And the fact that the Chancellor trusts you is an asset.?

?Anakin,? Obi-Wan said, gesturing to an empty seat beside him. ?Please.?

Anakin, still reeling from shock, obeyed. ?Thank you,? he said.

Ki-Adi Mundi, appearing via hologram, changed the subject. ?We have surveyed all systems in the Republic, and found no signs of General Grievous.?

?Hiding in the Outer Rim, Grievous is,? Yoda said. ?The outlying systems, you must sweep.?

?It may take some time,? Obi-Wan added. ?We do not have ships to spare.?

?We cannot take ships from the front line,? Mace said.

?And yet,? Obi-Wan replied, ?It would be fatal for us to allow the droid armies to regroup.?

?Master Kenobi, our spies contact, you must, and wait.?

?What about the droid attack on the Wookies?? Ki-Adi Mundi asked.

?It is critical that we send an attack group there immediately,? Mace said.

?He is right,? Obi-Wan replied. ?That is a system we cannot afford to lose. It?s the main navigation route for the southwestern quadrant.?

?I know that system well,? Anakin said. ?It would take us little time to drive the droids off the planet.?

?Kenobi will find General Grievous,? Mace said. ?Skywalker, you are needed here for a more specialized assignment.?

What type of assignment? Anakin thought but did not get a chance to ask.

?Go, I will,? Yoda said. ?Good relations with the Wookies, I have.?

?It is settled then,? Mace said. ?Yoda will take a battalion of clones to reinforce the Wookies on Kashyyk. May the Force be with us all.?


Anakin and Obi-Wan left the session together. ?Well congratulations, Anakin,? Obi-Wan said. ?To be seated on the Council at your age is a great honor. It has never happened before.?