A Vacation ... Where?

“I walk a lonely road -
The only one that I have ever known.
Don't know where it goes,
But it's home to me and I walk alone.

I walk this empty street
On the boulevard of broken dreams.
Where the city sleeps,
and I'm the only one and I walk alone.

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me;
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating.
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me;
'Til then I walk alone.”

*

Anakin had been pacing for an hour. She was stretched across the bed, watching him.

“What is that song playing?”

The radio had been playing softly in the background, and she identified the song automatically. “The band is Green Day, and the song is ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’. I have that CD – it’s pretty good.”

He turned and stared out the window, hands clasped behind his back. “I’ll have to find a copy. I really like that.” He paused. “Did you mean it?”

“Mean what?”

“That you’re going to leave me here?”

She sighed. “Anakin … I … Look, I like you. A lot. You’re fun, you’re witty, and you have this astonishing ability to bring out my impulsive side. I don’t want to leave you here. But if you’re going to keep treating me like property, going berserk when I do something you don’t like, or do what you did-“

“I know; please don’t say it.”

“If you’re going to keep doing that, I’m going to leave. I refuse to be treated like that, by anyone.”

He nodded slowly, but said nothing.

“Why did you do it, Anakin? That’s what I don’t understand.”

“I … It was … I just saw you with those guys and lost it. I couldn’t help it.”

She sat up. “Don’t give me that. You could, but chose not to. I understand that it’s hard to say no to some things, but sometimes you have to. Why’d you choose to do what you did, instead of just talking to me about it?”

He turned and glared at her. “Because I knew I was doing the same thing, all right? And I couldn’t lecture you if I was doing it, so I just lost my temper. At least I wasn’t doing it in retaliation like you were. I just got caught up in the moment; you did it to make me mad.”

She shook her head. “No, I was tired of sitting at the bar by myself, waiting for you to come back.”

“But you certainly weren’t sorry that it got my attention.”

“No, I guess not. But I didn’t do to you what you did to me out of a jealous rage.”

“You’re right. You got in my face, talked to me like I was four – after biting _and_ kicking me, I might add – then stormed off. And you said exactly what you knew would make me the angriest outside.”

“I-“

“Just admit it.”

She pursed her lips and nodded grudgingly. “I wouldn’t have bit you if you hadn’t tossed me over your shoulder.”

“I was coming to get you so we could come back here.”

“You could have said that.”

“I ....” He stopped. She raised an eyebrow. He smiled ruefully. “Yeah, I guess I should have said that.”

She smiled slowly. “Might have helped.” Rising, she walked over to the window and stood beside him. “Tell you what, I won’t leave you here … this time, anyway. But you’ve used up all your coupons for some time, you got that?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

They stood in silence for a few minutes, then he hesitantly touched her shoulder.

“I hurt you.”

“Quite a bit, yes.”

He sighed. “One more thing to add to the list of stuff I’ve messed up, I guess.”

She turned to face him. “Anakin, as much as I would have been thrilled to beat you within an inch of your life two hours ago, I don’t want you using what happened to psychologically flog yourself, okay? Besides, you’re the ruler of the GFFA, how bad can it really be?”

He looked confused. “The GFFA?”

She chuckled. “Oh yeah. ‘GFFA’ stands for “galaxy far, far away”, which is how George Lucas referenced where you’re from in the movies.”

“Ah. Well, it’s not like I was elected, you know. I did a lot of bad things to get to where I’m at.”

“Don’t most politicians?”

“Most don’t murder people, Danielle.”

That made her pause. “Good point. So what happened? How is your story different from the one we saw?”

“Maybe it would be easier for you to see, than for me to tell you all of it,” he answered. “Although you may not ever want to speak to me again after you see it.”

“I’m up for it, if you are.”

He stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “I don’t have to do it this way, if you’d rather I not touch you right now.”

She placed a hand over his. “It’s okay. Promise.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I am.”

“Okay. Just relax.”

She rested more of her weight against him and closed her eyes ….

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Striding toward the temple, robe billowing, with the 501st Legion in formation behind him, Anakin Skywalker – the newly christened Darth Vader – was lost in a sea of conflicting thoughts. The people inside this temple were his only family; was he really expected to cut them all down? What about the younglings? It just didn’t seem right. Palpatine knew what he was doing, though – or so Anakin hoped.

As they climbed the stairs, he once again admired the statuary outside the temple. Artisans of the highest caliber had been commissioned to do the pieces, and their work had lasted through generations. At the door, he saw Shaak Ti.

”Get inside,” he said curtly.

Shaak Ti stared at him. “Anakin Skywalker, that’s-“ She was abruptly cut off as his lightsaber ignited in front of her face.

”I said, inside,” he repeated. She nodded quickly, turned, and darted into the building.

Once he was inside, he beckoned to her. “Get all the Jedi, and the younglings, and bring them to the council room.”

“What is going on?”

He didn’t answer – just waved her away.

*

In the council room, he stood in front of the huddled crowd. The looks on the faces of the younglings – their hero, talking to them! – destroyed his original plan to contain the slaughter to one room. He took his hand off his lightsaber and cleared his throat.

“Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord we’ve been searching for.” Audible gasps and shocked murmurings followed this announcement, as he’d expected they might. He held up his hands for silence.

“He instructed me to come to the temple and wipe out the remaining Jedi.” At this, many pairs of eyes darted to the lightsaber resting on his belt. “That doesn’t make any sense, though. I don’t want to do it, and I’m not going to.”

Tentative looks of relief morphed to consternation as he continued. “You will remain in the temple. The 501st Legion will be outside, and I will be protecting the temple with a Force shield.”

A youngling broke in. “The whole temple?” he asked in awe.

Anakin knelt and looked at the young boy. “Yes, the whole temple. I can do that, and I will because I don’t want you to get hurt.”

The boy smiled at Anakin as he stood back up. Anakin looked around. “Are there any questions?”

Cin Drallig spoke up. “If you were sent here to wipe us out, that means you have aligned with Sidious.” His lightsaber hummed to life.

Anakin shook his head. “Yes and no. I don’t believe that either the Jedi or the Sith realize the true potential of the Force, because they have separated neutrality into light and dark – or good and evil.”

Master Drallig stepped forward. “And you propose to what?”

“I propose to put things right, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Cin Drallig stared at him for a long moment. “If you go back on your word, Anakin Skywalker, rest assured I _will_ find you.”

Anakin shook his head. “This isn’t the time for false bravado, Master Drallig. You _may_ be a better swordsman than I, but there isn’t a Jedi alive who can wield the Force as I do. If you search your feelings, you will know that what I say is true.”

Master Drallig stepped forward. “I won’t listen to a Sith claim to be looking out for my well-being. It is well-known that the Sith care for nothing but themselves.” He raised his lightsaber into a ready stance.

Anakin sighed. “I don’t want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice.” Their lightsabers crossed with a flash and hiss.

Cin Drallig was the Order’s leading swordsman, and with good reason. Many had tried to best him; none had been victorious, until today. Within a matter of minutes, Anakin had disarmed him and stood in front of him holding both lightsabers.

“Master Drallig, please do not make me take this demonstration any further.”

He nodded slowly. Anakin handed over his lightsaber … then put him in a Force hold.

“Don’t think I’m stupid. I know you’d try something as soon as my back was turned. Your close-mindedness about anything different from what you believe is exactly what is wrong with the Jedi Order today, and exactly what I’m going to change about it. Now … _sit down_.”

Cin Drallig returned to his seat.

Anakin looked around at the gathered Jedi. “I mean what I say. I won’t slaughter you. As I said, I will be guarding the temple. Both my shield and the 501st will ensure you’re your safety. I will be back when I have a chance.” Before he left the room, he knelt down to talk to the boy who’d spoken up before. “You work hard on your studies, young man.”

The boy nodded solemnly. “I will.”

Anakin smiled sadly. “I think I’m having a little boy just like you soon. Maybe one day you’ll be his teacher.”

The boy smiled. “That would be fun, I think.”

Anakin stood. “So do I. You be careful.” He spun on his heel and left the room, breaking into a sprint as he reached the main corridor.

*

Anakin stepped onto the veranda at 500 Republica. Threepio walked out to meet him.

“Master Anakin! It’s so good to see you again!”

“Threepio, where’s Padmé?”

The droid fidgeted. “She had to run an errand, sir. She didn’t tell me where she was going.”

Anakin walked around the room, feeling the residue of her excitement. “Well, wherever it was, she was sure happy about it.”

“Yes, sir, she was fairly glowing as she left the house.”

“When she gets back, please tell her that I’ve been called to Mustafar. We’ve found the Separatist leaders, and I’m going to finish this war.”

“That’s wonderful news!” Threepio exclaimed. “I will be sure to inform her!”

“Thank you, Threepio.”

*

Anakin ran down the passageway to Palpatine’s office and was surprised to find the door open, and Palpatine’s personal guards sprawled in the entryway. He stepped over their inert bodies and looked around. Palpatine’s chair was tipped backward, and lightsaber scores were on the wall.

Suddenly, he heard machinery start up, and turned toward the antechamber where Palpatine’s Senatorial podium was housed. He darted out of the office, and up around to the top tiers of the Senate chamber.

Inside, red and green lightsabers flashed and hummed. Yoda bounced around Senatorial pods, dodging Sidious. As Yoda jumped to a higher level, Sidious Force-lifted a pod and hurled it at him. Yoda ducked, but had to catch the next one thrown. Spinning it adeptly, he tossed it back at Sidious, who had to drop to his knees to get out of the way in time.

As Yoda sprang up, intent on wiping out the Sith scourge once and for all, Anakin leapt down to intercept him.

“The apprentice, you must be,” Yoda said wearily.

Anakin nodded. “For now.”

“Then deal with you first, I must. Short work, it will be.”

Anakin glared at the last remark. “That’s right, because Anakin Skywalker, even though he’s the one to fulfill the prophecy, doesn’t pose any sort of threat because he’s just a boy, is that it?”

“Misread, the prophecy was, if joined the Dark Side you have.”

“We’ll see,” Anakin growled. He channeled all his anger at being underestimated, ignored, cut down, and talked down to into his actions within the Force. Yoda floated into the air, then was tossed across the Senate chamber like a rag doll. As he hit the wall, his lightsaber – thrown at blinding speed by Anakin – streaked toward him and cut him in two.

“Good!” Sidious cheered from the pod where he’d been crouching. “Marvelous work, my young apprentice!”

Anakin turned to him. “’Young apprentice’, is it? I have more mastery over the Force than you could possibly dream of.”

Sidious looked astonished for all of a second before smiling. “I see. I see you haven’t learned anything from what I’ve taught you – that the Dark Side will always triumph.”

Anakin vaulted forward and swung his lightsaber. Sidious dodged it … barely. A mere eyebrow twitch betrayed his surprise that Anakin had gotten close enough to nick his robes.

“I’m done being someone’s apprentice!” Anakin roared. “I’m tired of being enslaved, lectured, and punished by people who don’t know me!”

“But my boy,” Sidious answered, “I _do_ know you. Very well.”

“No! You know the horrible things I’ve done, and that’s it! That isn’t all I am!”

“Isn’t it? You’ve killed Jedi. You slaughtered the oldest living member of the Order. Not to mention that business with the Tuskens … and Count Dooku.”

Anakin wavered for a moment. “I … but those aren’t the only things I’ve done.”

“No, but they are important things to consider when looking at your character, aren’t they?”

Anakin looked down as though considering Sidious’ words, then looked up. His eyes were shot through with amber, and he smiled sadistically.

“Then, I’ve fallen and am unredeemable,” he said, “and that means I have no problem doing _this_.” He stretched out a hand toward Sidious’ chest and slowly squeezed his fingers together.

Sidious staggered, but held onto the side of the pod and sent a furious burst of Force lightning at Anakin. Anakin swept it away with barely a glance.

‘Is that all he has?’ he thought. ‘The great and powerful Sith Lord, and he’s just going to throw lightning at me. Doesn’t he know who I am, what I can do?’

Sidious cackled. “Usually, apprentices wait more than a day to attack their Masters. I suppose, though, I’m not surprised, seeing how you’re still so young … and immature.”

“Then why’d you pick me, if I’m so bad?”

“Because I _thought_ you were talented, more so than the rest. Apparently I was mistaken, young Skywalker.”

Anakin bounded over pods toward Sidious. “Is that so?”

“Yes. Be honest with yourself, Anakin … even Padmé didn’t think you were talented enough, did she?”

Once again, Anakin faltered. “What?”

“Don’t pretend like you don’t know, Anakin. How often have her and Kenobi found excuses to spend time together? How often has he called you back to the temple, only to be leaving as you arrive? Are you really so gullible?”

“It can’t be. Why would they betray me? I’ve done everything in my power to make sure she’s taken care of, and to make sure Obi-Wan isn’t chastised about me anymore.”

“I guess, as always, what you were doing wasn’t enough,” Sidious answered, a self-satisfied smirk on his face. “Surely you’re not surprised, Anakin – it’s been like that ever since you tried to save your mother.”

Red swam in Anakin’s vision at Sidious’ last remark. He launched himself at Sidious, screaming his pain, rage, hatred, and guilt.

Sidious laughed and raised his lightsaber as Anakin flew at him … only to have it knocked out of his hands. It landed in a pod eight levels down. Amusement turned to shock when he had to call on all his resources to avoid Anakin’s frenzied strikes.

Sidious backed up against the edge of the pod. “Wait, Anakin, please ….”

Anakin backhanded him, sending him flying into another pod. As Sidious stood, he launched a concentrated stream of energy directly at his former Master’s heart.

The look of shock on Sidious’ face froze, and he clutched wildly at his heart. Anakin vaulted over to the pod Sidious was in.

“Looks like I’m not so lacking in talent after all … _Master_,” he hissed. Sidious raised his hands … and Anakin sliced through both of them. Sidious yelped and fell backward.

“I tire of this,” Anakin said, and drove his blade through Sidious’ heart. A visible dark cloud rose from the body, writhed, and dissipated. Sidious’ corpse was decaying at an alarming rate; Anakin prodded the body with his boot one time, then leapt down, collected Sidious’ lightsaber, and headed back to his speeder.

“It’s time to end this war once and for all,” he murmured.

*

Anakin emerged from his fighter and looked around. Lava ran underneath and around the station, while droids skated over the top of the molten river. The heat enveloped him, and he instantly began sweating inside the hooded robe.

He stormed the control center, searching for the Separatists. He found them celebrating the end of the war in the main control room.

“Good evening,” he said cordially to the gathered leaders. “I’m here to negotiate a peace treaty.”

“Anakin Skywalker!” Nute Gunray exclaimed. “But … how did the Jedi know where to find us?”

“I am no Jedi,” Anakin growled, as he sent his lightsaber spinning out to impale San Hill. As he called it back to his hand, the spinning blade decapitated Passel Argente. The remaining Separatists backed toward the doors. Po Nudo made a run for it, and was subsequently crushed when Anakin swept the doors closed. Shu Mai, Rune Haako, and Poggle the Lesser were the next to fall under Anakin’s whirling blade.

‘This is what a lightsaber is meant for – to perform the dance of death for those unworthy of drawing breath. It’s meant to cut, to rend, to kill. It wasn’t designed to look pretty, or just for defense. In the hands of a master, this blade is the Reaper himself, come to collect.’

Wat Tambor backed away from Anakin, hands raised in surrender, pleading for his life. Anakin’s response was Tambor’s dismemberment and decapitation.

The coppery scent of blood in the main control room tickled his nose as Anakin stalked toward the gibbering, shaking wreck that was Nute Gunray. Anakin didn’t even look down as he swung his lightsaber and sliced off the Neimoidian’s head in one slash.

He turned to face the carnage littering the room. “Gentlemen, I believe this will conclude our rather aggressive negotiations.” He saw the outline of a ship on a monitor as he walked out of the room. Recognizing Padmé’s skiff, he strode out of the control room, shutting the doors behind him. At the landing bay, he ran to meet her as she slowly made her way down the ramp.

“Hello, Padmé.”

“Anakin, there’s been a slaughter at the Senate! Master Yoda and Chancellor Palpatine were killed!”

“I know.”

“How … how do you know?”

“Trust me. I have everything …. “ His voice trailed off as he noticed another figure standing at the entrance ramp. “Obi-Wan.”

“Anakin.”

“Well, I can’t say I’m overly surprised. Why did you bring him here, Padmé?”

“He … he just came with me to help pilot, Anakin.”

“I see. Whose idea was it for him to come, yours or his?”

“Does that matter, Anakin?”

“It matters! Answer the question!”

“Well, it was a mutual decision,” she murmured.

“I spent quite some time trying to convince myself that this wasn’t going on, but now the evidence is overwhelming.”

“Going on? Anakin, what are you talking about?”

“You and Obi-Wan!”

Padmé opened her mouth, then closed it again. “We … “

Anakin’s stare bored into her. “Is the baby even _mine_?”

“Well … I’m pretty sure.”

“’Pretty sure,’” he mocked. “Nice to know this isn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

“Anakin, we … I never meant for this to happen. It just … did. You of all people should understand that.”

“’Gee, Anakin, why are you mad?’” he parroted. “Please, Padmé, spare me.”

“Anakin, all I’m trying to say is-“

In an instant he was in front of her and wrapping his mechanical hand around her throat. “No!” he roared. “I’m through with your treachery!”

Obi-Wan sprinted down the ramp. “Anakin,” he started, before he ran into a Force wall and bounced backward.

“You’ll have your turn soon enough … Master,” Anakin snarled, and sent Obi-Wan hurtling back toward the skiff with one dismissive gesture.

He watched his fingers sink into Padmé’s throat as though he were watching a holovid.

‘I wonder if I should just snap her neck. I knew this had been going on, but I didn’t know it was for that long. How could he do this to me? How could _she_ do this to me? And then expect me to just nod and understand? I shouldn’t be enjoying this … is that really what I am, some kind of monster? What if the baby _is_ mine?’

He abandoned that disturbing train of thought when he felt her throat collapse, then snapped her neck and cast her body off to the side. Turning, he advanced on Obi-Wan.

“So. You take me on as a student, even though you don’t want to. All of your dislike comes out in little passive-aggressive ways, making me work that much harder just to make _you_ happy. But then when I do something _really_ impressive, you tell me I’m showing off or that that’s not how Jedi use the Force.”

“Anakin, I ….” Obi-Wan was endeavoring to stay away from Anakin, to no avail.

Anakin knew his former Master well enough to predict how he was going to move, and he used that advantage to slowly back Obi-Wan into a corner. “I’m not finished yet! You’re so intent on following the rules that you don’t realize that people are different. You were brought to the Order as a baby; I had to leave everything behind, and you didn’t seem to think it was right that I would have a problem with that! I wasn’t _allowed_ to miss my mother, because ‘attachment is of the Dark Side’. What kind of rhetoric is that, Obi-Wan? You’re not allowed to love, to bond, to care for others? What kind of life does that leave you with?”

“Anakin, you’re wrong. The caution is against attachment, not – “

“And you’re telling me that love _isn’t_ attachment?”

“Well … it is, but ….”

“No, Obi-Wan, you can’t have it both ways! I wasn’t allowed to live with Padmé openly because it would get me expelled from an Order supposedly created to _help_ people. Meanwhile, the Order’s _own_ people are forced either to be monastic, or to live a lie. The failure you set yourselves up for is astonishing.”

“’Yourselves’, Anakin? Do you no longer consider yourself a Jedi?”

“Do you consider me to be one, Obi-Wan?”

“After that slaughter in the Senate, no. No, I don’t.”

“Exactly. But only because Yoda was involved! If it had just been Sidious, I would have been hailed as a hero!”

“That’s because ….”

“No, Obi-Wan, there is no ‘because’. Even though I destroyed Sidious as gruesomely as I destroyed Yoda, I would be a hero because Sidious was ‘bad’. Even though I gave into my rage, and hatred, to be able to destroy him … it would be okay, because I was on the Jedi side, the supposed ‘right’ side, when I did it. How do you live with that double standard?”

“You are oversimplifying things, Anakin.”

“No, I’m not. I’m seeing both sides clearly for the first time. The Light are so self-absorbed, so buried in their dogma and meaningless rules that they’ve lost touch with the one thing that sets them apart from everyone else – their command of the Force. They’ve come to take it for granted – it’s now their right, and not a privilege. They’ve grown so self-centered that no one else could possibly be right.”

“And Sidious was better, was that it, Anakin?” Obi-Wan snapped.

“No, he wasn’t! But he at least was going to purge the galaxy of the bureaucratic nightmare that the Republic had become!” Anakin had gotten Obi-Wan pressed against the side of the skiff, and was right up in his face. “Bogged down in procedure, with the people they’d promised to represent left behind as Senators chased money, fame, and power. Megalomaniacs ruled, and that was all going to change. Are you telling me that this change could have been effected through normal means, Obi-Wan?”

Obi-Wan was silent, staring at Anakin.

“I didn’t think so. The Dark is just as self-centered as the Light – it cares only about power, greed, and all the base emotions. The Light went to the opposite extreme – caring so much about ideals that it lost emotion altogether. Is that how you wanted to live your life, Obi-Wan?”

“I knew nothing else, Anakin.”

Anakin pulled backward and assumed a casual stance. “How did you feel when you first realized how you felt about Padmé?”

“I … I tried to fight it.”

“You tried to fight one of the purest emotions that exist.”

“I wasn’t supposed to be feeling that way – not only because of the Order, but because she was your wife, and you are my friend, Anakin. Or were, anyway.”

“But once you accepted it?”

Obi-Wan debated silently. “It was amazing, Anakin. It was like the love I have for you – as a brother – multiplied and magnified into something I could barely comprehend.”

Anakin nodded. “But I was supposed to ignore it.”

“Anakin, there are rules … rules that are there for a _reason_.”

“What, to be broken? You obviously did.”

Obi-Wan started to reply, then fell silent.

“Exactly.”

Obi-Wan watched him sorrowfully. “Anakin, I can’t let you leave here.”

“Why?”

“Because of what you’ve become.”

“And what is that, Obi-Wan? I destroyed the Sith, I defeated the Separatist leaders … what more do you want from me?”

“While all those things are admirable, Anakin, the fact remains that you yourself have fallen from the path of the Light. You are the most powerful Force-sensitive in the history of the galaxy, and your complete lack of maturity and foresight have turned you into a very large liability.”

“So, I’m to be summarily executed for not following ancient dogma anymore.”

“That’s not it, Anakin. The purpose of the Jedi Order is to promote peace, and you have taken it upon yourself to become a one-man killing machine.”

“Completely unlike the Jedi out fighting the war, I presume,” Anakin remarked sarcastically.

“Yes!”

Anakin rolled his eyes. “No matter. You have a choice now, my former Master. You can join me … or you will fall here, never to rise again.”

“So I must betray the code I have lived by all my life in order to live.”

“You must realize the code you have lived by all your life is outmoded, and demands that its followers be automatons.”

“You will not sway me, Anakin. I was born to be a Jedi, and will die as such if need be.”

“So be it.”

*

The battle raged for hours, but at the end, there could be only one victor. Obi-Wan stood over Anakin on a bank of the river.

“I have the high ground!” he shouted, extinguishing his lightsaber. “It’s over!”

Anakin lunged up and forward, impaling his former Master and sending him staggering backward. Anakin caught Obi-Wan as he fell.

“I didn’t want it to come to this, Obi-Wan. But you wouldn’t listen.”

“I will never … abandon my ideals … as you did, Anakin.”

“But you’ll abandon me!” he said, suddenly angry again. “I didn’t abandon my ideals – I finally discovered what they were. I should have known that I couldn’t make you understand.” He laid the lifeless body back onto the onyx sand, then stood slowly and made his way toward the landing pad.

*

Three days later, he stood in front of HoloNet crews in the Senate building to make his announcement. The full Senate was assembled behind him.

“Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was the mastermind behind the war with the Separatists. He was planning a slaughter of the Jedi, and a forceful takeover of the galaxy. I have eliminated this threat.”

He paused. “However, one threat still remains. Behind me is the Galactic Senate – symbol of the Republic for many years now. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has corrupted many of the senators you see here today. And today, I rectify that problem, as well.” He turned from the news crews to address the Senate. “You are all summarily removed from office.” Ignoring the outcry from the assembled former senators, he continued. “I have your names, and you will not be campaigning for office again, I assure you.”

A senator three rows back from the news crews stood up. “Who are you to proclaim yourself ruler? What have you ever done for this galaxy? What makes you think – ack!” His words were cut off as he suddenly began grabbing at his throat. Half the HoloVid crews captured the dying senator; the other half captured Anakin. The split image was broadcast across the galaxy – Anakin standing motionless at the podium, and the senator clutching madly at air.

“You were one of the first to fall in line with Palpatine! You sold out opponents; you offered your planet up to the Separatists and their destructive factories! You were one of the first to volunteer your people to be test subjects for new weapons! Don’t stand there and question what _I_ have done for the galaxy, when you yourself have been nothing but a bully and a scourge!”

The thud as the senator collapsed was clearly audible throughout the silent Senate.

“Anyone else?” Anakin roared.

No one moved.

“As for the rest of you ….” He fell silent, staring at the Senate.

All through the room, senators began clutching at their chests and toppling over. Anakin waited until the last one fell to continue.

“Now, I have assured that those corrupt beings will never be in office again,” he said. “The remaining senators you see before you are the Delegation of Two Thousand, who believed that Palpatine was running a corrupt government and wanted him removed from office. These are the only beings, out of countless worlds, who I feel I can trust to continue serving their people.”

“What of the Jedi Purge?” a reporter asked.

“I did not know of Order 66,” Anakin replied. “Had I known, I would have stopped it. We have lost many of the great Jedi who kept the Republic safe from external threats. However, the Order remains. Will the representative please come forward?”

Cin Drallig maneuvered his new pod so it was in the center of the room.

“The Order, essentially, will not be changed. You are still charged with keeping peace throughout the galaxy. You have historically been the voice of moderation, and I will be changing policy within the Order to reflect that.”

“What do you mean?” Master Drallig asked calmly.

“The ideals of the Jedi, and their unattainable goals, are largely responsible for their downfall. As I don’t want to see this happen again, I will be keeping strict watch over how the Order is run. I will not interfere in your day-to-day business, but will ensure that you are teaching your students a broader grasp of the Force. Only in that way will they be able to deal with ever-changing foes. The Jedi would have lost to Sidious, because they didn’t understand how to evolve. You will also have a seat on the representative body. The Jedi are an entity unto themselves, and should be treated as such. However, you are no longer above the law. Jedi law does not take precedence over galactic law. Do _not_ let me catch your Order thinking it does.”

Master Drallig nodded, then returned to his place.

“If there are no further interruptions, I believe this concludes this press conference.”