Twenty years ago • Coruscant

Smoke rose to the cloudless sky of the city-planet from every corner of the Jedi Temple. Anyone with eyes will think that the whole Temple had been on fire from the inside; no doubt that battle raged inside the most sacred place on the galaxy. And it is a question who would dare attack the Jedi now at such perilous time that the Clone Wars is about to come to its end with the generals of the Separatists were nothing but dead?

The Supreme Chancellor just recently proclaimed a state of war, the rise of the Empire over the former coalition of planets and systems known as Republic.

The word 'Republic' right now is nothing but a long time ago where dreams of freedom and peace had been everyone's objective. Addition to the announcement was the false accusation of the Jedis being enemies of the Empire, traitors who wanted to conquer the galaxy and overthrow the once negotiable Republic.

A legion of clones had marched from the Temple's main steps and slaughtered everyone inside. With majority of the Jedis have been in other worlds because of their continuous fighting against the war, majority of the Jedis inside the Temple were yet to be completely trained. Not to mention that most of them were not accustomed to fighting battles, that majority of them were young to be even considered as a padawan. No one was spared, even the younglings, all except a Jedi that even a legion of clones couldn't kill.

Anakin Skywalker had been a legend, the Hero with No Fear, the Republic's poster boy, the destined chosen one. Per the accords of Order 66, Anakin Skywalker must be spared, be captured and be turned to the Emperor immediately.

And yet, Anakin Skywalker was expected to be in the Temple, waiting for a news from Master Windu about their confrontation to the newly proclaimed Emperor.

When he heard the announcement about the creation of the Empire, it was a surprised to him that the sound of gunfire had made it complete.

He had stayed for some time in the Council Room, thinking, doubting. He knew that the Supreme Chancellor was the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, the same man that had nurtured and became a father to him when the Jedis had been against the rule of attachment. The same man that waged the Clone Wars and made them all believe that the Republic was nothing but a group of corrupt and greedy people. And the very same man that told him that he could save his wife by becoming his apprentice.

He is a Sith, Anakin pondered. A Sith that for years I've chased, hunting to defeat.

Anakin knew that he'd violated countless of the rules part of the Code of the Jedis, but never had he felt to be betrayed by them than by the Chancellor. Knowing that conclusion for the right choice will not be easily attained, he headed on to his small apartment in the Temple and started to meditate about the matter.

Things about the war, about his former padawan, about his master, about the Jedis and the Siths, about the whole galaxy, about his wife... all of these things had made him think clearly. He loved his wife so much that he was so afraid for her to die, and it would be soon. After all, he dreamt that she'll die through childbirth, and he vowed that he won't allow it. But he couldn't simply betray all of his beliefs. He had felt the temptation of the dark side for so many times, but he willed himself that the battle had already been lost before it could even began.

The teaching of the dark side for the sake of loyalty to be apprenticed by a Sith Lord, the man behind all the tragedies in their galaxy...

Then, he remembered the other Siths he had met in the past. Maul, Dooku, Ventress... all of them abandoned by their masters. What if one day, someone much more powerful than him will arise, what will happen to him then? Forgotten and abandoned and killed for what? For good?

Suddenly, the darkness of his own clouded mind was replaced by a series of terror. He started hearing the sound of screams and blasters and explosions. He even felt the sudden shake and movement. At that time, he realized that it wasn't on his concentrated mind alone, but in his own reality.

He immediately moved away from his bed and headed straight outside. A sudden chirped of beeps and shrieks from Artoo surprised him upon the entryway. Understanding the language of droids, he learned that someone had attacked the Temple through Artoo.

"So that's it. The feeling," he replied. "Just calm down, buddy. I'll need to keep the Temple safe. Ah, the younglings! Meet me at the safest place for you to hide. Take a comlink with you." He heard Artoo's worried beeps to him, but he didn't waste any other moment at all to sprint down the halls and head on to the direction where he felt the most depressed zone.

Just about three corridors away from his room, he stopped and he trembled upon taking in the sight across from him. Along with shattered glasses, Jedis had been lying on the floor, lifeless, dead. Lightsabers unlit from their motionless hands. The lives that was once brilliantly aflame were cold and gone. Blaster marks were visible onto the walls and floor from where the shooters have missed, as others found the ace and killed a lot.

Feeling movements at the end of the corridor, hearing blasters ricocheting back upon the blocked of a lightsaber, Anakin turned to the direction. He saw a young Jedi, about seven years his junior, about to be a padawan, blocking blaster fires. He didn't last long, for after less than five seconds, a shot hit him squarely onto his chest, instantly killing him.

Anakin shuddered as the footsteps of the one who killed the padawan drew closer to turn his respective corridor. Other people will surely cower and run away from the fight to escape death, but Anakin Skywalker was the Hero with No Fear. That might be the reason that instead of running farther, he drew nearer to the battle, not minding if he'll be caught in a cross-fire. The thrill of the battle had always excited him for it lured his mind to forget a lot of worries for a moment, and the company of his own troop had always comforted him. That might also be the reason why his hatred had fueled because the Separatists were so confident themselves to have their revenge upon the death of Dooku. And that might be the leading reason why with a lightsaber on his hand, he was so surprised to see who had done the shooting.

Formerly white armors, scratched by battles, marked with blasters, dirtied by different planets' different landscapes, and blazoned by the history of war. Not to mention the color that goes against it all.

Blue. Blue paint. Blue shade.

Familiar blue.

Of course, Anakin Skywalker, among all creatures in the entire galaxy knows such color scheme.

The 501st Legion. One of the greatest and glorified clone legion of the War. Considered to be the heroes of the Republic who reached the excessive praise upon being led by Jedi General Anakin Skywalker. And now, they were marching to the Temple, slaughtering every Jedi they see on sight.

Every Jedi on sight... except for him.

For a brief moment, when Anakin stared in horror at the clones whom he'd known simply by looking at their helmets' symbols—Cutter, Treble, Nuts, Spike, and others—there's just silence.

Anakin walked carefully towards the dead Jedis, his eyes drawn onto the sight of his own clone troops, heading to the fallen padawan. He crouched low and touched the boy's neck, checking for a pulse even though knowing how futile it will be. He asked, "What are you doing here with the rest of the clones?"

Why are you eradicating the Jedi Order? The question remained on Anakin's mind. That's the very question that he wanted to ask.

He pulled his hand away from the boy's neck and closed his fist. He stood and with eyes drawn in a furious curiosity, he repeated his question, "I've asked you what are you doing here with the rest of the clones, trooper?"

One trooper cocked his head to the others as if asking what they should do. But all of a sudden, as if they've come to an agreement, they raised their blasters again, drawn to his direction, ready to aim.

But they were not too fast. Never too fast compared to a Jedi. Compared to their General. Compared to Anakin Skywalker that had treated them like any equal creature, the one that they've looked up to. For Anakin raised his hand towards them and Force push them all, causing them to fall back about hundred meters away.

Anakin used the chance to run away from them. Just as he couldn't stomach the idea of clones killing every Jedi they saw, he can't also imagine the need to kill every trooper that had been a part of his own legion. A legion that he received as his own when he was promoted as a knight, when he became a general, when the troopers were completely at peace with him, and when they win battles together despite the war destroying every beautiful things and their brothers falling heroically.

The Jedis that had been on other planets... Master Windu confronting the Sith Chancellor... Master Yoda... Oh, and Obi-Wan... Obi-Wan who've been assigned to defeat General Grievous...

Anakin continued running as he thought of these things. He even thought of what could have happened if he had chosen to follow Master Windu, what if he had chosen to be the Sith's apprentice, and... oh, Force, what will Padmé think? She probably have heard of what's going on in the Temple. Is she worried? Is she having thoughts of what could have happened to him? But what will happen afterwards? The entire universe knew who Anakin Skywalker is, they knew that he was a Jedi, what will happen to him then if all Jedis are to be killed?

He had entered the control room of the Temple. The Jedis assigned here probably have heard of the uproar, or perhaps they've seen it, that's why they leave their post and head on to fight. And who will not do so?

Anakin watched the playback of what's going on through the countless of screens. He saw clones with every intent of killing Jedis. A bunch of younglings were murdered, even the old Jedis. No one was to be spared. Anyone they see on sight were automatically killed.

Then, why did those clones didn't kill me? Anakin asked himself.

The sight of the Jedis being slaughtered weakened his knees. He crawled towards the corner of the room, keeping his vomit to himself upon seeing the too many deaths. On the first years of the war, he couldn't even sleep and eat because the deaths of the war completely sickens him. He was able to harden himself, having countless sleepless nights and skipped meals. And looking at a bunch dying on the hands of the clones they thought had been there to protect their backs, sickens him much more.

He stayed at the corner, drawing his legs close to his chest, eyes wild and breathing frantic. He felt the tears fall from his eyes without him even knowing. He had been wanting to do such thing like this ever since the war broke out. He couldn't shake the feeling of so many voices swirling on his mind, shouts of different voices as they die. He couldn't think, too weak to even move and wish to fight.

He shivered at the thought that he'll be found in here and be shot on sight. But he'll die fighting until the end. And yet, he still don't want to die. Not yet, and not like this.

He reached out for his com-link and commed Artoo. A beep thrilled him in greeting and he said, "Artoo... hey, buddy. Are you in a safe place?"

He received a series of assured beeps in exchange. He smiled sadly for a moment before ordering, "Glad to hear, buddy. Just be safe. Don't let them find you. I'll see you later." With that, not waiting for a reply, he ended the call.

After all, the only one that he could commed now was none other than but Artoo. Obi-Wan was too far away to com and ensure that he is safe, while contacting anyone outside the Jedi's signal had been forbidden due to security reasons that he won't be able to even assure Padmé that he is safe or even leave the rest of his note.

Thinking, his hatred to the Chancellor doubles. He lied that he was a Sith. He even made the clones go against the Jedi. He had been planning all along to eradicate the Jedis. And how come he had been caught in such entangled web? How come he had trusted this man ever since he met him? When all that he had done is for him to be lured and turn to the dark side and be his apprentice? And the greatest play that he had orchestrated is to make him believe that he could save Padmé?

Anakin will never know what could have happened if he followed Master Windu in confronting the Chancellor. Maybe things had been different. But it was all too late for that now, and all Anakin wanted now was to ensure that he could save Padmé without the Chancellor's help.

The door suddenly opened up, causing him to tense up, rise on his feet and wield his lightsaber, prepared to attack. Angry tears smeared his cheeks and they poured on much more upon seeing who stands at the doorway. Master Yoda and Obi-Wan looked at him with shocked, and it didn't even took another minute before Obi-Wan ran to where Anakin was and surround his arms at his former apprentice.

"You're alive," Obi-Wan muttered as Anakin turned off his lightsaber. "You're alive. You're alive."

Anakin remained immobile even at the moment that Obi-Wan held him at arms' length. He looked at his former master with teary eyes and countered, "Obi-Wan... Force, I thought... well, everyone... Everyone..."

"Unknown reasons, darkness lingers," Master Yoda spoke as he shook his head with a heavy sigh. "Strange, all of this are." He raised his head at the two other Jedis and ordered, "Master Kenobi, Knight Skywalker, turned against us, this war had been. People we wished to be with, run and hide with them. This democracy and Republic, both are no more. A perilous time, this is."

Anakin bit his lips, feeling the shudder that he had been feeling ever since he had gone against the Jedi Code, ever since he had married Padmé. He could still remember the time that he had talked with Master Yoda few days ago about attachments, and how he should be prepared to take the pain of watching someone he loved die. But now that the Jedi Order is no more, there seems to be no point of hiding the truth from them.

"Completely troubled you are, Knight Skywalker," Master Yoda noticed. "Something to tell us, hmm?"

Obi-Wan turned to him with curiosity. After all, Anakin knew that Obi-Wan had always assumptions because his best friend had never been one who will not take such good notice of it. His former padawan had assured him that she knew though not explicitly said, and there were countless of times that his former clone captain almost confronted him about such, so there was no way that Obi-Wan didn't notice it.

Anakin sighed as he closed his eyes for a moment. The tears had ceased and they were already turning dry when he opened his eyes again and looked at the two Jedis that had always found how deeply attached he had been with everything. He finally gained the courage to tell them, "This past few days, I've been meaning to let you know, Master Yoda—" He turned slightly to Obi-Wan. "—and to you, Master."

His word usage completely made Obi-Wan to raise an eyebrow at him.

"I am sorry, but I am meaning to leave the Jedi Order. Because I could no longer keep the secret to you that since the Clone Wars started, I've been married to Senator Padmé Amidala. And right now, she is pregnant with my child. I thought that it will be time for the Order to learn it because of me having dreams of her dying, and I know that I won't be able to protect her if the Wars continue on with me still a Jedi General," Anakin said. "But right now, it seems like there is no use in telling it to you. Since the Jedi Order is reduced to ashes, the Clone Wars concluded, the Republic gone, any surviving Jedis meant to be haunted, and the Empire controlled by a Sith Lord."

"A Sith Lord, you say?" Master Yoda perked as if the revelation of knowing a Sith's existence was much more a priority than everything that Anakin had revealed. Obi-Wan even didn't looked surprised at all just as Master Yoda when he had told that he had broken the sacredness of the Order.

Anakin straightened, feeling pride swelling deep down on his chest with the combination of hatred and anger. The Anakin Skywalker who've looked up at a father-figure before had vanished, replaced and hardened by emotions and clouded decisions, an Anakin Skywalker who was no longer a Jedi nor a General nor a violator of the Code, but the Anakin Skywalker who was unknowingly fulfilling the role of the chosen one by choosing what was right.

He said, "The Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatinewas the Sith Lord who controlled the Clone Wars, and the entire galaxy now as the Galactic Emperor."

***
A/N:

WAAH!!! This took me too long to write because of classes... 😭 Subsonic Aerodynamics is killing me~ With an additional Mechanics... 😢 Force, your prayers for me to pass these two subjects and make it for another year so that I can finish College, and start flying lessons~

So, I've watched Rogue One twice! First, a week after its showing and last week. Both in IMAX. (Thanks to IMAX that I received a poster! ❤) So, it is incredibly... oh my goodness! It's so perfect! Especially, the Rogue One squad and Vader~ The only reason that I've watched it again last week was because my parents found out how sad and destroyed I am by Sherlock Season 4 Episode 1. (Any Sherlockians out there as well?) Okay, so I found out that watching Sherlock and Rogue One, first and last thing for that day, respectively, was completely NOT A VERY GOOD IDEA!!!

Anyway, I hope you find this new chapter completely... oh it depends to you! I don't know when I will be able to update this again. Don't forget to leave comments and reviews!

May the Force be with you!

-Sydney Flaire