Saga The Skywalker Prophecy - Episode III: The Chosen Future (ROTS AU; A/P, Obi-Wan): Complete

Title: The Skywalker Prophecy ? Episode III: The Chosen Future
Author: Darth_Lex
Timeframe: ROTS AU
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Palpatine
Genre: Action, Drama, Romance
Keywords: AU
Notes: Prequel to The Skywalker Prophecy Trilogy
Summary: After the Battle of Coruscant a series of different decisions take heroes and villains in new directions, culminating in the one choice that changes everything. An AU beginning during the events of Revenge of the Sith.

Disclaimer: Lucasfilm owns all the rights to Star Wars. I don?t. No infringement is intended or profit to be made by me.

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To familiar faces, welcome back! To new readers, welcome!

After almost a year off, I?m returning to The Skywalker Prophecy saga. Taking a page from George, I?m writing the definitive ?prequel? to my ?classic trilogy? epic. Just as Attack of the Clones inspired my first fanfics, Revenge of the Sith has spawned all sorts of great plot bunnies for me. Most of all, it gave me the canon story I?d been awaiting for so long ? and I couldn?t help but write my AU of ROTS, just like I did the OT.

For the continuity buffs among you: Yes, I?m making a clean break with the existing backstory in the trilogy. Someday a ?Special Edition? version of the trilogy may rewrite all those references for consistency with this story, but in the meantime the ?continuity errors? I?m creating in the trilogy are just that ? backstory. All the events that take place within the trilogy stand on their own, just as they are.

In writing this alternate universe Revenge of the Sith, I draw heavily on both the film and Matt Stover?s novelization. In particular, the political subplots involving Padmé that were cut from the film but remain prominent in the novel will play a major role in this story, as do the characterizations as elaborated in the novel. Nevertheless, I hope to write this story so that you can fully enjoy it even if you haven?t read the novel (although you should!).

And so begins Episode III: The Chosen Future.

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Teaser Trailer

The Fox Logo appears and fades. The Lucasfilm Logo appears and fades. The haunting melody of ?Across the Stars? begins as a series of images appears simultaneously with spoken words.

Announcer (voiceover): This summer, the producers of the award-winning Skywalker Prophecy trilogy ?
Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker stands at a battle assessment table with Artoo Detoo at his side. The holographic images of clonetroopers and walkers fighting infantry and artillery droids flicker away, replaced by a display of the Jedi Council in session from the perspective of a chair along its circle.

Announcer (voiceover): ? take you back to where it all began.
With a group of leading legislators gathered behind her, Senator Padmé Amidala stands across from Supreme Chancellor Palpatine at the large desk in his ceremonial office. Outside the wide windows the skies of Coruscant are thick with dark storm clouds.

Announcer (voiceover): Join us as we return to the heroic era of the Clone Wars ?
Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, and Yoda sit on stones at the edge of a small pool at the base of a short waterfall in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Obi-Wan rubs a hand over his beard, meets their gazes in turn, and nods reluctantly.

Announcer (voiceover): ? for an adventure of drama and intrigue that finally reveals ?
As the last rays of dusk fall over the glittering cityscape of Coruscant beyond the verandah, Anakin turns away from Padmé and gazes toward the Jedi Temple in the distance. After she reaches out to take his right hand in both of hers, he turns back to face her with a single tear streaking his cheek.

Announcer (voiceover

 

Mine!

*does the victory dance*


WOW! I was late in getting back to this.

*bad beta*


?You were right.? Padmé Amidala brushed away the hand offered for support and lowered herself onto the long sofa in the sitting room of her apartment. The haze of clouds that had shrouded the capital since the end of the battle in its atmosphere three days earlier dulled the sunlight beaming in the wide windows. ?I admit it. You were right.?

You had Padme say that because no woman would ever really say that. Turkey

?He?s turned democracy against itself,? she said, fighting back the wetness building behind her eyes. ?Democracy made him a dictator. Now the only way to oppose him is to reject the Senate.?

Great line. And it's so true. Palpatine used the virtues of democracy to his personal gain, not for the greater good. I feel awful for Padme having had this realization of a friend.

He was out of his element.

I won't quote the whole Anakin scene but I think it's a wonderful depiction of how he would have reacted following the Sith Lord revelation. Beautiful turn in your AU for Anakin to realize his wife might actually be able to help him

As for Obi-Wan

I have to say I am excited to see where C3 inspiration takes this story, my friend.

Yes, I cheated

 

ARGH!

Edit: *sticks tongue out at TKL*

All right, back with real comments.

I'll admit that A/P stories have never been my primary interest. Nothing against the characters; I love them both. But I'm first and foremost an L/M 'shipper, and it just usually takes quite good writing and a fascinating plot to keep my attention from wandering in an A/P. Fortunately, you excel at both, Lex. I'm really excited to see where you take this.

Not that he was opposed to thinking, at least in principle.

My favorite line, by far. " . . . at least in principle." But it's just so Anakin.

Just like that, the truth he?d been looking for struck him in the chest like a blaster bolt.

Padmé. Like the Jedi never had, she loved him for who he was. Unlike the Jedi and the Sith, she didn?t expect him to be wise. ?I believe you can save me just the way you are,? she had whispered yesterday. No matter what the Chancellor or anyone else thought, she didn?t want anything from him, except for him to be himself.

And Padmé was a thinker too.

Anakin swung the speeder around and flew straight toward her apartment. Padmé would know what to do. She always did.

Cha-ching! Now that's what Anakin should have done in the first place. Can't wait for the next installment. Tuesday and Friday posting, then, Lex?

 

Wow! Nice begininning. I look forward to reading your next chapter.

 

Nice to see you back on the boards, DL. Anxiously awaiting the beginning of chapter 1

 

Ooooh, it's started. Yippee!

Great opening. I cannot wait to see what happens next. Though if Bail and Padme are talking now and Anakin's going to see her, uh, this is going to be interesting. *nods* Yep interesting.

Hmm, question. Am I going to need my thwacking stick?

 

So this is the story you said that might change my mind on prequel stories. We shall see

 

This looks interesting!


Chimpo the Sith is a great name, by the way.

 

Yay! It has begun!

And Padmé was a thinker too.

Anakin swung the speeder around and flew straight toward her apartment. Padmé would know what to do. She always did.

Ani, dearest, methinks you're wiser than you think you are...

It's off to a great start, Lex! I love the story already!

Canna wait fer friday.

MTFBWY,

Lauré

 

Yay! A new Lex story!!

Awesome prologue! I love where you started it off - right in the middle of RotS! I can't wait for Friday now! (Well, I don't have class then, but besides that...)

uppies!

jazz

 

Welcome back! I didn't realize there would be prequels, but I'm certainly looking forward to them.

I think I'll enjoy the fangirls rushing for the first post, too.

 

Aw crap, I made the mistake of playing the music for the trailer, except I forgot to make the last change to "Battle of the Heroes" and after "Padmé?s Ruminations" it automatically went into "Anakin's Betrayal" and now I'm a gloomy mess!

 

Yay! A new Skywalker Prophecy story!! I'm quite excited for this one. The prologue was really good... Can't wait for the first chapter.

 

YES!

It has begun! I am so excited to read this, Lex!

Great start!

 

The first chater is going to be poseted on FRIDAY?! I can hardly wait. I'm jumping up and down. This story is extremely interesting, and I like where you're going with this. Keep up the really good work.

 

In writing this alternate universe Revenge of the Sith, I draw heavily on both the film and Matt Stover?s novelization. In particular, the political subplots involving Padmé that were cut from the film but remain prominent in the novel will play a major role in this story, as do the characterizations as elaborated in the novel.
Yay! Awesome? More Padme is always good for me.


?Secrets. Lies. We?re deceiving our families and our friends. I?m keeping secrets from the Queen, and you?re doing the same to your people.? She was so tired of the lies and the secrets. So tired of lying about Anakin ? and of keeping secrets from him. ?He?s twisted everything around until we?ve become the very thing we swore we would always oppose.?
That?s a whole lotta lies and secrets. Something tells me that Padme and Anakin are about to hash things out real soon.

Anakin doubted he?d ever been this confused in his entire life.

But none of that mattered right now. All that mattered was one simple fact ? Anakin needed Palpatine alive long enough to learn what he needed to save Padmé. He wasn?t going to lose her, not the way he?d lost his mother. He was going to stop her from dying. No matter what.
Noooooo!!! [/Anakin] Don?t do it Anakin.

And Padmé was a thinker too.

Anakin swung the speeder around and flew straight toward her apartment. Padmé would know what to do. She always did.
Hmm? so far things are pretty much as they are in ROTS, but I?m counting on that last line for things to come out a little differently in this story? the Darth_Lex way? Perhaps Anakin will listen to Padme?
Can't wait for more, Lexie!

 

Oh my Thanks

I like this part of fanfic boards already

 

*sighs* Ahhh, I'm so happy you decided to do this. Your characterization makes me reread and reread, because it's so flawless. You capture characters with maturity and grace, and it's just lovely to read.

 

And that's just the prologue....

Wonderful characterization as always. I like that you've drawn elements from Stover's novel. It really was excellent and gives us so much more insight than the movies. I can already see the plot twists coming, but I love how you've woven them in with actual canon elements (a trademark of yours, I know). Great start!

I was just listening to the audiobook of Ep III on my way to work this morning and I caught myself thinking "Gee, why doesn't Anakin just level with Padme? If the two of them had only compared notes..." I don't know if that's where you're going with this (and I know you won't say), but it just struck me as one of many turning points in the story that could have changed everything.

 

Yay! To Padmé you listen. Oh, this fic is going to hurt so much, comparing it with what happened in the film.

 

Wow, first set of replies for TCF. How cool.

Thanks for reading, everyone!

TKL: Mine!
You are? Incorrigible.

WOW! I was late in getting back to this.
Better late than never.

You had Padme say that because no woman would ever really say that. Turkey
Well, not to a man, anyway.

Beautiful turn in your AU for Anakin to realize his wife might actually be able to help him
Thanks! What?s so interesting about that moment in the film and novelization, I think, is that Anakin doesn?t really trust the Jedi (because of what they?ve asked of him) and he doesn?t really trust Padmé as much as he wants to (because of the seeds of doubt Palpatine has planted). Yet even leading right up to this Anakin has still shared his deepest fears with Padmé (even if they don?t agree on what?s the right way to deal with them), and even after he tells Mace the truth he?s thinking about her. So really, I think it?s only a very small tweak to think that in deciding what to do after the revelation, he might have decided he mistrusts Padmé a little less than he mistrusts the Jedi? Anyway, it seemed like a subtle and believable shift in Anakin?s decision to start the AU.

I have to say I am excited to see where C3 inspiration takes this story, my friend.
The real question is, how many chapters am I going to end up adding before it?s finished?


Gabri: it just usually takes quite good writing and a fascinating plot to keep my attention from wandering in an A/P
Uh oh.

I'm really excited to see where you take this.
You say that now?

Now that's what Anakin should have done in the first place.
Yeah, when you go talk to Mace Windu instead of your wife, you?re probably on the wrong track?

Tuesday and Friday posting, then, Lex?
That?s the plan.

InLoveWithLordVader: Welcome! Glad you like the Prologue.

JediMasterRev: Nice to see you back on the boards, DL.
Thanks! It?s great to be back in Saga.

Bulldog: Though if Bail and Padme are talking now and Anakin's going to see her, uh, this is going to be interesting.
Well as one little hint, no, that?s not what happens.

Am I going to need my thwacking stick?
Probably.

Chimpo: Hey, great to see you over here in Saga!

We shall see
I?ll do my best.

cdmcc: Welcome! And thanks! Hope you keep reading.

lauré: Ani, dearest, methinks you're wiser than you think you are...
What?s that old standard? Sometimes it?s better to be lucky than good?

Jazz: I love where you started it off - right in the middle of RotS!
I actually did a lot of thinking about where to start TCF, based on the elements of ROTS I liked and the story points I had to set up for TSP. Ultimately I just felt that the movie and novelization covered all the early setup of plot and characterization so well, there was nothing I really wanted to change. So I decided to pick up midway through ROTS and then go AU based on the few tweaks that will spin the story out in the new directions I envisioned.

RebelMom: I didn't realize there would be prequels, but I'm certainly looking forward to them.
Well, considering this story went through about four or five outlines before I settled on this version, I wasn?t sure there?d ever be a TSP prequel either.

I think I'll enjoy the fangirls rushing for the first post, too.
Me too. That alone was a great incentive to come back.

Shinar: except I forgot to make the last change to "Battle of the Heroes" and after "Padmé?s Ruminations" it automatically went into "Anakin's Betrayal" and now I'm a gloomy mess!
Yeah, that soundtrack sure has some somber tracks?

skywalker4life: I'm quite excited for this one. The prologue was really good...
Thanks! I hope the next few posts give you a good sense of how this one?s going t

 

Next post later today.

What a great day this is!

 

Probably.

Hmm, okay. *dusts off and polishes her thwacking stick* Clean and ready for the new story

 

Here?s the next post.

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CHAPTER ONE (Part One)

From deep within the apartment, the sound of the arriving airspeeder caught her ears. Instantly everything else was forgotten, and Padmé hurried toward the stairs to the verandah. It was late, and he wasn?t supposed to be coming home tonight.

?Anakin?? she called out even before she had reached the open portal to the wide terrace.

He was there, rushing toward her. Desperate. Charging. His unclasped cloak billowed to the ground behind him.

?Ani, what?s wr-? Her words were muffled by an embrace so fierce and frightened the emotion of it, not his crushing arms, stole her breath.

He held her, simply held her, for a long time. Finally he released her and took a step back.

Gently she placed both hands on his chest, and waited.

?I? have terrible news,? he said.

Her heart raced. Something had happened to Obi-Wan. Or to Naboo. Someone they loved ?

He reached up and clutched her hands in his. ?The Chancellor? Palpatine??

For a single awful moment, the politician in her hoped he would say, is dead. But the words that came next were far worse than that.

?He?? Anakin closed his eyes and squeezed her hands, then met her gaze. ?He?s the Sith Lord.?

?What??

?I?m sorry, Padmé. I?m so sorry.?

Her voice was empty, weak. ?Are you sure??

He nodded. ?He knows the ways of the Force. He wields the dark side. He?s? Darth Sidious.?

?How?? He held her shoulders as she slumped onto the long curving sofa. ?How is this possible??

Anakin sat down next to her, and his head fell into his hands. ?I? don?t know.?

They sat in silence. Padmé stared at the bubbling water in one of the small fountain sculptures.

Finally he said, ?Tell me what to do.?

?You have to stop him,? Padmé said without hesitation. ?You have to kill him.?

?But??

?But what? He?s a Sith Lord. He?s evil.?

?But he has the power to save you.?

?What do you mean??

He took her hands again. ?With the Force? He knows the power to stop death. He can teach me how to keep my vision from coming true.?

She sprang to her feet and tore her hands away. ?No, Anakin. No.? Her hands covered her belly. ?No. I won?t let you do that.?

?But Padmé?? His gaze was pleading, haunted. ?You?ll die.?

?Maybe I will,? she said, and the heat in her voice knocked his eyes wide. ?But you are not going to save me that way. I will not let you touch me with the dark side of the Force. Not me or our baby.?

He looked away for a long moment, then back. ?I can?t lose you,? he whispered.

She stepped over to him and put her hands on his shoulders. ?You won?t. I promise.?

?My vision, Padmé. I watched you die.?

She smiled as best she could. ?I know, Ani, and I?m sorry. But evil is not the answer. The dark side isn?t the answer. There has to be another way.?

He looked so despondent, yet hopeful. ?What way? How??

?I don?t know,? she admitted. ?But we?ll find something. We always do.?

?You?re right.? He wasn?t convinced. Not by a long shot.

She brushed her hand along his cheek. ?Anakin??

The look in his wet blue eyes begged, Tell me what I need to do to save you.

?Promise me you?ll stop him. Promise me you?ll kill him.?

?I?? He took a long, shuddering breath. ?I don?t know if I can. He?s my mentor. My friend.?

?No,? she said sadly. ?He?s your enemy, and always has been.?

Anakin jolted like he?d been slapped. ?How can you say that? He?s the only one besides you who?s ever treated me like a real person.?

?And it was all a lie.? She held his face in her hands. ?It?s all been a lie, all along.?

?Padmé, I? It can?t be true. It?s impossible.?

?He?s a Sith Lord. He?s manipulated you from the first day you met.?

His eyes fell to the stone tiles of the verandah, and she let her hands fall away. ?Maybe he has.?

?Can?t you see how terribly convenient this vision of yours is??

He looked up, surprised.

?This vision of me dying. It?s the one

 

Did my Evil Partner just post?

I'm not going to quote any one part. I think that the whole scene is what we would have liked for Anakin to do in ROTS. It's just so sad that our choices can be bigger than we realize. Yet knowing you, Evil Partner, this may still end up with a wrong choice. The temptations are not removed, just considered in a different light. I am so excited to see where this goes