Disclaimer: GL owns Star Wars and everyone in it. We only play in it 'cause it's fun.

Warnings: Rated M for strong sexual situations, language and violence. You have been warned.

Forbidden Longing

A collab fic by Lilac Moon and PyramidHead316.

Chapter30: Nightfall

The metallic toned ship entered the atmosphere of the planet, going down through the clouds to cruise over the city below. The occupants of the ship were concerned with only one thing on their minds. They had a mission to accomplish, and it was imperative that they get to it as soon as possible. Much more than just their own lives depended on their success, and they were already racing against time as it was.

"I just pray we haven't arrived too late," Anakin said, observing as Padmé guided the ship over the large cityscape that was Coruscant, while countless buildings passed by. The Jedi Temple was not too far off now, but they couldn't ignore the fact that they had already spent several hours to get here. The Jedi Council could have already decided to go after Obi-Wan on their own, in which case, he could be walking into the remnants of a disaster.

"Shaak Ti said she would hold them back," Padmé said, guiding the controls expertly from her seat. She had learned how to fly a ship long ago, and Anakin had taught her how to do some wild maneuvers, adding to that experience. While Anakin mainly flew the ship most of the times where they went somewhere, she had taken the controls as soon as they got into the ship and lifted off. It was a lot harder for Anakin to kick her off if she was manning the controls and had a death grip on them.

At least, that was what she told herself. The truth was Anakin would have had little difficulty removing her from the ship if he wanted to, but thankfully he hadn't pressed the issue. He understood her need to come along. Her hands clinging to the controls were just a sign of that.

"Yeah, but if the Council decides they want to arrest Obi-Wan now, there's not much she can do to stop them," Anakin said, leaning against the viewport anxiously. They were getting close, but Coruscant was a big planet, and they couldn't go at their top speed due to the danger of colliding with another spaceship. They couldn't try to communicate with Shaak Ti either, since she could be in the middle of a Council meeting, and since she hadn't told the Council about the little communication she had had with Anakin, that would raise questions that Shaak Ti would find tough to answer. Not until this was over; by which point, the Council would be open to what Anakin had to tell them about Obi-Wan and his communications with Shaak Ti – and not just the parts about him being a danger either. Besides, the Council may have already gone to arrest Obi-Wan, in which case this was already settled and done with, for better or worse. And that was what Anakin was really worried about, that he had arrived too late to warn the Jedi Council and he would find himself confronted with an Obi-Wan who had already destroyed them, in his rage. Anakin was ready to take on Obi-Wan, but he would rather not do it on his own: backup was definitely preferred in this case.

Anakin sighed as they sped by, resting against the durasteel. This was a mess: an absolute cluster bomb of a situation, and he had the feeling it was about to get worse. While he hoped the situation wouldn't get out of hand, he doubted it would be as simple as arresting Obi-Wan and going home.

"Anakin, I'm afraid," Padmé spoke up for the first time, very quietly and reserved. "Even though it was my idea to come along, and I know that we have to do this, I'm afraid of what could happen," she confessed. Even though she had pushed Anakin to confront Obi-Wan for what he did to him, now that they knew what he had done, she found herself very concerned about what they might find. What if Obi-Wan had killed all the members of the Council by the time they arrived, and it was up to them to take him down, by any means necessary? Were they ready to wage that battle?

"I'm scared too," Anakin admitted, much easier than he would have thought. He had known the dark side was corrupting Obi-Wan, but now that he had killed an innocent child, Anakin found himself more anxious about facing him. What kind of monster where they going to find, once they reached his former master's apartment? "But we have to have faith that the Force is telling us to do this, and that it will guide us in the right direction," he said sagely. It didn't matter what inhibitions Anakin felt about facing Obi-Wan, the nervousness they felt about coming here like this, this was something that they had to do. Obi-Wan had to be stopped, made to pay for his crimes, and Anakin needed to be the one to do it. The Jedi Council would try, but they would not succeed without his help; he felt as sure of that as he was about anything else in his life, at this moment. Anakin needed to help the Jedi, regardless of their personal feelings about the order, his and Padmé's: this was no time for being hesitant.

They remained silent after that, concentrating their attention on the ship. There was nothing else they could say to that, because he was right. They had to do this, whether they wanted to or not.

And besides, it was time to face their past.

The ship sped along to its destination, passing by the citizens of Coruscant. Anakin, however, was still more anxious about the oncoming confrontation with Obi-Wan than he was prepared to admit aloud, even with the somewhat bolstering reassurance he had given Padmé. He had a bad feeling about this.

The Council had waited for several hours, focusing on issues and dealings other than the pressing issue on their minds: there were still several issues about the war and the Senate that they had to deal with, regardless of their little internal crisis. The Republic didn't stop just because they were having a problem with one of their errant knights, and the concentration on other work was a welcome break from thinking about the heavy circumstances of what they had to do. But there had been no sign of activity at Obi-Wan's apartment, and their other matters were finished for the day. And now the time had come to carry out the deed they were all dreading, whether they wanted to do it or not. They were going to arrest one of their finest knights for murder, a man who was formerly respected by Jedi in the Order as one of the greatest Jedi Masters ever and an admirable example of being a Jedi in the field, second only to Yoda and Mace Windu themselves in terms of being respected.

A younger knight came into the room, immediately alerting the Council members' attention. "Master Windu, security reports there's still no change in the situation," the younger brown haired knight reported, bowing in deference to the older Council member.

"Very good," Master Windu nodded, giving the young man an approving look. "Here, take this to security and make sure it is implemented as soon as possible," he said sternly, handing over a datapad to the younger knight. The nervous young man nodded and hurried off to do his assignment, leaving the Council members alone in the chamber, faced with a decision. Mace Windu was the first to speak, to no one's surprise. He had taken the lead on this subject, along with Yoda.

"We can't afford to wait any longer," Mace Windu said, addressing the other Council members. "There has been no sign of anything suspicious at Obi-Wan's apartment for the past several hours. Either he doesn't know we suspect him, and there's no trap, or else he's not anticipating any help from anyone. Either way, we cannot continue to delay this any longer," he said, leaning forward in his chair with tired frustration written all over his face. This was unpleasant, it was going to be awful, but they had to do it.

Shaak Ti knew she had to do something to stall them. "Perhaps we should wait a little longer," she suggested mildly, drawing looks of curiosity from those around her in the room. Mace Windu looked at her in disbelief, while the other Masters had similar expressions on their faces. They were plainly wondering what had brought on this unexpected disagreement. Especially considering Shaak Ti's past firm stance on the issue.

"Why? There's something else you're waiting on, that we should know about?" Mace Windu questioned curiously, staring closely at the female Jedi Master. There was something there that he didn't like at all. His face was set in a full frown; he was wondering what kind of justification the Jedi Master was going to give for this. She was hiding something; there was every certainty of it in his mind. The question was what she was hiding. He couldn't think of anything in particular, about Obi-Wan and their situation, that would need concealing.

Shaak Ti sat in uncomfortable silence. She couldn't tell the Council that she had been in contact with Anakin: it would create too many uncomfortable questions that she wouldn't be able to answer. And she couldn't confront them with anything else, either; the Council had already considered most of the options for possible scenarios they would encounter. They were very well prepared for a confrontation; she simply had nothing new to give them. The Togrutan Master was stuck for an answer. She wanted badly to tell them the truth, but she knew the Council would deem it unacceptable.

"No," Shaak Ti stated quietly, lowering her head to glance downwards. She didn't have any more excuses to give them, a side result of the Council discussing every possible option of what could happen to them. Master Windu was intimidating when he got like this; she wasn't going to deny it: the thought of confronting him in this chamber, with no good reason to back her up, was frightening. And even if she had had some good excuses to give them, she doubted anything was going to divert them from their mission. They were betrayed by Obi-Wan, and it had cost the life of an innocent child, too. They were getting payback for what had happened, even if it was in the form of bringing him to justice, in the Temple. They were determined, and nothing was going to change their minds; she could feel it in their presences. She had promised Anakin that she would find some way to stall the Council until he got there, but she simply had no good reason to provide them with that would get them to consider their decisions again for a few more hours.

"Good," Mace nodded. Mace Windu rose from his seat to his full height. He signaled with his hand to the Council members behind him. Several more Council members rose from their seats: Agen Kolar, Kit Fisto, Saesee Tiin, and Ki-Adi-Mundi. They were determined, by the look of them, the looks on their faces: Shaak Ti could sense the need for revenge inside them. There was also a solemn sense of duty. They knew what they had to do. And there was no use in delaying the situation any more than they had to. This was not going to be a peaceful confrontation. Obi-Wan was waiting for them, and they were going to give him hell if necessary. This was an explosive powder keg, ready to burst at the slightest spark. They were holding back their emotions well, as good Jedi Masters should. But Shaak Ti could feel the indignation building up inside them, the turmoil taking place. She was surprised Master Yoda didn't call them out on it. But then again, perhaps he was just as eager to see Obi-Wan apprehended as the rest of them. There was also a sense of sorrow, that they were about to lose a man they had once considered a beloved comrade. But that didn't override the anger.

"What if this is a trap? He could have all sorts of people stored there waiting for us, which he positioned there before the surveillance began. Perhaps we should cooperate with the Judicials on this one," she suggested, using their own logic against them. The Council was prepared for the possibility of it being a trap, and they were quite willing to walk into one, but perhaps if she convinced them that there was another factor that they hadn't taken into account, they would back down. For a few more moments, at least. All she needed was some time to think and figure out what to do. Anakin had to be on his way, and would hopefully arrive soon. She just needed to buy him some more time, although the Council's growing suspicion and anxiousness to get the mission going was making that look impossible.

"We can't do that. There may be an information breach and it would take too long to coordinate an operation with them. The Judicials cannot be involved here," Mace said in disbelief, confused as to why the shy Jedi Master was suddenly so reluctant about bringing this man to justice. Shaak Ti had been one of the biggest proponents of Obi-Wan being a threat to them. Now she was afraid to face him. Why? Mace had to know the answer to that. The suggestion she gave was also dangerous. If the public were to know that one of their greatest Jedi Knights was responsible the murder of a young girl and was on the run from the Jedi Council, the widespread panic would be outrageous. No, until the Council had captured Obi-Wan and he was securely locked in one of their cells, the Judicials could not be allowed to know about this, under any circumstances. And even then, they would probably be forced to concoct some story about the way having driven him insane from its traumas, or the killing itself being an accident, bitter as that was, so that the public wouldn't believe that the Jedi Order had no control over its Knights. The Judicials would be the only ones who could know the truth about this. Mace was going to do everything in his power to prevent this from causing damage to the reputation of the Jedi Order, although it may prove nearly impossible to control. The few Judicials who would be allowed to know the truth would have to be sworn to secrecy, at the very least. And the Senate would cause a lot of faith to be lost in them, if they learned the truth and spread it among the masses. But he was determined to try. "Come on," he ordered, motioning the other Jedi to follow him. They had wasted enough time here. This had to be settled right now, and he would start by capturing Obi-Wan, making sure that murdering bastard was brought to justice for what he had done. He could settle the subject of what had Shaak Ti so petrified later on. That was of a lesser concern. A certain Chosen One he wasn't, but Mace Windu was a master of Vaapad and an experienced Jedi Master, and he had four other great Jedi Masters backing him up. He was not going to be intimidated by the legendary Master Kenobi. They would not fail.

Shaak Ti watched them go with a sense of exasperation. Ironic. It was only a week ago that she was arguing with Master Windu about Obi-Wan being responsible for a heinous crime, and now she was afraid to stand up to him. She was helpless to stop them. But it was a lot easier for one to argue when there was visible evidence of something being afoot in front of you. She was only relying on Anakin's "word" to substantiate her statements, this time around, and that just wasn't a good enough case to present to the Council. She had no idea what knowledge Anakin had that was leading him into such a concerned state about them facing Obi-Wan without him. Anakin needed to be honest with her about what he had known, when brought there to them, if he had known anything, or else there was no chance of building trust. Had Obi-Wan been falling for a long time, and Anakin knew about it, and that was why he left the Order? But why was that such a powerful concern now? Surely they could handle one Dark Jedi, turned renegade. There was no reason to doubt them, in that regard. Had Obi-Wan done something else they didn't know about, that greatly disturbed Anakin? There was the question that she had to answer, and soon; it was going to prove difficult to resolve this without doing so. The Jedi Masters exited the chamber, with their mindsets determined. She sat there for a while, thinking about what to do, wondering if she should contact Anakin or if he would just hurry up and get there, so that he could go with the Jedi Council to Obi-Wan's apartment and confront him. She could feel their curious stares on her as she looked on quietly, the others that were present in the room, though none of them were daring to ask the question that was obviously first on their minds; she ignored them. There wasn't time to let herself be bothered by that. She looked down at the comlink in her hand, wondering how far away Anakin was from their location at the Temple right now. There was still a bit of time left until the group left on their mission. She would have to use that time wisely.

Shaak Ti rose from her seat, heading for the hangar. She knew that Anakin was going to land at the platform nearest to the Jedi Temple, so that he wouldn't have to go inside the Temple itself. Outsiders were rarely granted clearance to land inside the Temple's spacious hangar, and even former Knights who had left the Order weren't allowed inside, unless they had specific permission from a Master on the Jedi Council. He was probably counting on Shaak Ti to get him that permission, or rather, bring him before the Council herself. Not to mention, the Council's feelings about Anakin weren't exactly good, after that debacle of his leaving the Order. There was a good chance that any attempts to land would be denied by the Council, over Shaak Ti's objections. He probably wasn't going to land directly at Obi-Wan's apartment, since the situation there would be deadly for anyone he had brought along, if they went in with him not knowing from them the details of the situation that was going on. Or at least she hoped so. Shaak Ti was hoping that Anakin had been smart enough at least to not bring the Senator here with him, but she wasn't counting on that assumption. She was just going to have to meet him halfway. Now if only she could contact him…

The fate of something precious was at stake here, and Shaak Ti was getting a bad feeling about this. All of this was unsettling, and she had to reach Anakin soon one way or another, she knew, promptly, before the Council engaged their abhorrent target…

The silver ship swept into an area of the city where a rectangular platform was awaiting it, hovering over the permacrete landscape that was Coruscant. Its pilot kept the ship hovering gently over the platform, as it initiated its landing cycle. Its thrusters slowly ground to a halt, as the ship lowered itself onto the platform. The Jedi Temple could be seen in the distance, and was only a short speeder ride away from their location. The ramp slowly descended from the entryway, allowing the passengers who were inside to disembark. Anakin emerged from the ship in a hurried stride, followed closely by Padmé, who stayed a bit behind. To their surprise, Shaak Ti was already waiting for them on the landing platform.

He ran across the platform right up to the woman. "Master Ti! What are you doing here?" he asked Shaak Ti.

"I was trying to reach you. I couldn't get through to your ship," Shaak Ti stated.

"Master, where's the Council?" Anakin inquired, looking around expecting to see Mace and the rest of the Council members arriving on their ship nearby. But there was nobody else around on the platform except for Shaak Ti.

"They're not here, Anakin. I couldn't tell them about our conversation on the subject. I'm sorry, but you gave me very little to work with," Shaak Ti replied to him.

"And where are they now?" Anakin demanded of the Jedi.

"They've already gone to arrest him," Shaak Ti replied.

"Damn!" Anakin raced towards the speeder that was parked close by, ignoring the cries of his dearest Padmé and Master Shaak Ti to wait for them and not do anything rash without thinking. He could only pray he wasn't too late.

"Anakin, wait!" Shaak Ti called out.

Their pleas fell on deaf ears. He engaged the engines and heard the speeder roar to life, ignoring their protests to reconsider what he was doing.

"Stay with Padmé!" Anakin shouted over the roar of the engines, not caring that he had just ordered around a Jedi Master who was several levels his superior. The speeder lifted from the platform and took off in the Coruscant airspace.

The speeder zoomed into the distance, disappearing from view after a while.

Padmé and Shaak Ti looked at each other, suddenly getting a very bad feeling together about this.

The five Jedi Masters made their way toward Obi-Wan's apartment. Their expressions were grim, their mouths set in sour determination. They knew what they had to do. It didn't make it any less pleasant.

They reached their target and stood outside. The door was open. Apparently Obi-Wan was expecting them. Strange. They'd given no warning they were on their way to arrest him.

Inside they found the man himself. Obi-Wan stood and turned from the sofa he'd been lounging on. As soon as he laid eyes on him, Mace knew what Master Yoda said was true. Obi-Wan had turned to the dark side. Obi-Wan was wearing a black Jedi uniform that contrasted greatly with his role as a light side Master. His expression was one of amusement, and there was something about the way he carried himself that greatly unsettled Mace's nerves. One thing was clear.

This was not the Obi-Wan Kenobi they knew.

Determined not to let that faze him, he clamped down on his uncertainties. Mace Windu, Saesee Tiin, Agen Kolar, Kit Fisto and Ki-Adi Mundi surrounded the Jedi and blocked the entryway. Despite this show of force, the Jedi was unruffled. Obi-Wan greeted them without the slightest semblance of unease.

"Ah, Master Windu. I must say I wasn't expecting a visit. What brings you to my apartment at this hour?"

"You know why we're here, Obi-Wan," Mace said seriously.

Five separate sabers lit up in unison, surrounding Kenobi in a crescent of blue, green, and lilac.

"In the name of the Jedi High Council, I hereby place you under arrest," Mace Windu declared.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Are you threatening me, Master Windu?"

"The Council will decide your fate," Mace answered.

Obi-Wan let out a laugh that sounded painfully loud in the tension filled atmosphere. It was unsettling to hear and sent a chill down the spines of the assembled Jedi in the room. The former Master settled down and address them, still grinning widely and chuckling, as though in awareness of some joke the Jedi could not hope to grasp.

"And what exactly are the charges you are arresting me for?" he asked incredulously.

"You know what you did, Obi-Wan," Mace responded.

"Ah yes, Scout. I see you finally figured out the cause of her death. Tell me, did it take you long to figure out? I would have thought the strangle marks on her neck were obvious," Obi-Wan said off-handed, casually callous in his tone.

Several of the Jedi shifted uncomfortably in their stances. Kit Fisto bared his teeth, clutching his blade a little tighter.

"You monster," Windu muttered.

"How could you do it? How could you murder your own Padawan?" Mace demanded, struggling to hold back the anger. He hadn't known Scout very well, but she was only a child, and one who entrusted to this man on account that he would protect her. It was taking all his willpower not to charge in and slash that smirk off Kenobi's face.

"It was pitifully easy. I didn't want to do this," Obi-Wan said, suddenly getting serious, "But I had no choice. I couldn't allow her to compromise my position as a Jedi."

"Is that supposed to justify it?" Mace asked in disbelief.

"No, I just wanted you to know the reason for it." Obi-Wan brushed it off. "Besides, I was her Master. I had every right to do what I did. What was it that you said in the Council chambers, the words you used? Oh yes. 'To defend her Master. To honor his teachings and learn from him until she was a Knight'. And she did honor me…with her death."

"You dark sided bastard! You're not Obi-Wan Kenobi," Mace replied viciously.

"You're right, I'm not. Obi-Wan is dead. He has been released from the shackles of your restrictive code, and has become something more powerful than you can possibly imagine. And now, you'll see for yourselves the power that he has attained!" Master Kenobi said. Obi-Wan ignited his saber.

With a roar almost bestial in origin, Obi-Wan launched himself at the Jedi Masters. The Jedi readied themselves to engage him, though they were not prepared for the onslaught he unleashed. An upward horizontal sweep slashed the throat of Saesee Tiin, and with another horizontal slash, Kenobi took care of Agen Kolar – neither one had really been expecting him to attack them. The Masters crumbled to the ground as the Jedi struggled to regroup. They began to strike at him in unison, each one aiming for a different part of Obi-Wan's body. Obi-Wan parried the strikes beautifully using a one-handed grip, a technique they knew for certain they hadn't taught him. He moved quicker than they remember, moving fluidly through their slashes, switching from one hand to two as he blocked and parried their blows. The Jedi struggled to keep up, though their superior swordsmanship kept him at bay.

Obi-Wan back flipped across the room, putting some distance between himself and the Jedi. The Jedi gave pursuit, diving into the battle once again. Blue, green and lilac clashed in a whirlwind of light, creating a dazzling light show as Mace, Kit, and Ki-Adi tried to disarm their lethal opponent. Obi-Wan swirled to the motions of Ataru, blocking and parrying the strikes that threatened him, and swerving out of the way of those he couldn't. Delivering a side kick to Kit, he drove the Nautolan back viciously towards the window. Too late Mace Windu saw what he was doing.

Stretching out his hand, Obi-Wan unleashed a massive Force push, sending the Jedi crashing against the common room window. The window shattered, sending Kit flying through the hail of glass. Mace Windu screamed inside his mind, unable to do anything but watch as the legendary Jedi Master plummeted to his death.

Across the city, a female Twi'lek Master fell to her knees, in her room at the Temple, as the greatest person she had grown to cherish in her life passed from this world. She trembled all over, cold with a terrible feeling of dread, overwhelmed by the shock, as the death hit her full force like a rushing train. He was gone…

With a signature twirl of his blade, Obi-Wan held his saber at the ready, giving a savage grin. Mace drew back in horror, shocked at the brutality they had witnessed. He exchanged a glance with Ki-Adi, who looked equally horrified in what he'd just seen. They exchanged another glance, this one of determination.

Kenobi struck at the same time as the Jedi. Windu took the left position while Ki-Adi took the right, hoping to box Kenobi in. A subtle chill swept through Windu as their enemy countered their attacks. Mace observed the broad, flowing strokes, the sweeping movements of his blade, and realized Kenobi was using Juyo. The forerunner of Vapaad – it was one of the deadliest forms in lightsaber training, difficult to learn and unpredictable in combat. His mind reeled inwardly in disbelief. How could Kenobi have learned this style with no one to teach him?

With a sweep of his blade, Kenobi slashed Ki-Adi's sternum, eliminating the Jedi Master. With the Cerean gone, Mace's worst fear had been realized. It was just him and Obi-Wan.

Mace immersed himself in the Force, calling on its insight to help deflect Kenobi's attacks. The murderer came at him with relentless aggressiveness, wielding his blade with the skill of someone decades his senior. The ferocity of Ataru combined with the maneuvers of Vapaad made him a fearsome opponent, one the Korun Master had to struggle hard to match. But Windu was no common Jedi either. Mace matched his slashes move for move, holding his own despite Kenobi's calculated offense.

Realizing he was starting to give in to anger, Mace took a step back. Despite the indignant anger he felt at Kenobi's actions, he had to do the right thing as a Jedi.

"Obi-Wan, I don't know what's happened to you, but it's not too late. The dark side doesn't have to take hold of you. We can help you. Come back with me to the Temple."

Obi-Wan laughed. "Help me? Why would I need your help?" he scoffed.

"What has happened to you, Obi-Wan? What happened to the man I knew so well?" Mace Windu questioned.

"Let's just say he's been liberated from your pathetic Jedi dogma. He has seen the power that is to be gained by letting free with his emotions," Obi-Wan responded, holding his saber at the ready. The dark side shone in his eyes, imbuing them with a hardness that reminded Mace this was not the same man he knew and praised at the Temple.

"But why? What could the dark side possibly have to offer you?" Mace inquired sharply. "You have everything, Obi-Wan! Power, fame, a permanent position on the Council. You could not be more respected among the masses."

Obi-Wan looked down briefly. "Not everything," he said darkly.

Mace suddenly wondered what that was. He could think of nothing obvious, though – overt control of the people, perhaps? He didn't know. There was no time to debate about that, though. He had to stop this man now, before he harmed someone else. Their blades clashed again, as the two experienced warriors continued their battle against each other. One of them was fighting to avenge his fallen comrades, and the other was fighting to impose his own twisted view upon the world. There was no doubt in Mace's mind that he was going to go after the other Jedi, after how psychotic and unstable he had become. He could not allow himself to fall in battle against this man, when so many things were riding on his shoulders…

He fought on…

On the landing pad of the apartment building, Anakin landed nimbly on his feet. He raced towards Obi-Wan's apartment, feeling the Force growing darker with every moment. He could pray he wasn't too late.

Mace crossed blades with Obi-Wan as the dark Jedi continued his ruthless assault. He slashed wildly at the Jedi Master, movements which the Jedi blocked expertly with Vapaad. The turned Jedi stopped for a moment to glare ruthlessly at him, the evil burning behind his eyes with the smoldering intensity of a volcanic fire. Mace was taken aback at the depth of hatred there, but he was resolved to end this by any means necessary. The two masters resumed their vicious duel, one of the light and one of the dark, the two sides of the Force clashing through them. Obi-Wan came at him with the whirling, wide sweeps of Juyo, trying to get the better of his opponent, which Mace parried. Mace expertly threw unorthodox maneuvers at Obi-Wan, trying to throw him off guard. Obi-Wan held his own with nothing but tenacious determination, letting his anger feed his skills, all from the hatred he felt at this man. Obi-Wan counter-attacked with the experience gained from 32 years of lightsaber dueling since he was a child, combined with the experience he had gained recently.

They struck at each other once again; each one was determined not to back down from this confrontation until he had subdued the other. They dueled all over the apartment, scrambling to use whatever surface they could for leverage. Obi-Wan unleashed a series of parries and slashes aimed at overwhelming the Jedi Master, as he pressed the fight hard. Mace pressed back equally hard. Obi-Wan's Juyo was formidable, but Mace was the superior swordsman in this style. Still, Obi-Wan's determination seemed to make up for any amount of skill Mace might have had as an advantage against him. Mace knew this could go on forever. He needed Obi-Wan to make a mistake, so that Mace could press the advantage and seize the opportunity to end this decisively. If nothing changed, he would have to start using the Force in more unorthodox ways, even if it means giving himself over to his darker instincts.

Suddenly, they sensed a stirring in the Force. Mace turned to see Anakin Skywalker coming into the apartment. Obi-Wan looked at him too, the shock visible on his face. And Mace seized the advantage.

He slashed at the saber in his right hand, and kicked Obi-Wan in the center of the chest. The saber rolled away, cloven in two useless pieces, and Obi-Wan backed away as he scrambled to get away from Mace's lightsaber. Mace advanced on him relentlessly, while Anakin made his way over to the battleground. It was over.

"You are under arrest, 'Master' Kenobi," Mace Windu sneered, holding the former Jedi at bay with one hand.

Anakin went up to where they were, looking at his nemesis down on the floor cowering away from Master Windu's lightsaber. It was a pitiful sight, and one that was a shock given the circumstances he had been expecting here.

Mace held up a hand to urge him back. "Skywalker, what are you doing here?" he asked, holding the blade at Kenobi's throat.

"Master Shaak Ti told me that you were going to arrest him. I figured you could use some help. Though I guess that's no longer necessary," Anakin said, looking curiously at the man spread out on the floor. His tormentor, who had haunted his nightmares all this time – it was almost anti-climatic; he had expected some epic confrontation, yet Mace had defeated him all on his own, seemingly. Perhaps he had underestimated the Council.

"On the contrary, your arrival gave me the distraction I needed to overtake him," Mace Windu said, still holding the blade at Kenobi's throat. Anakin was taken aback at what looked to be a hint of gratitude on the Jedi Master's face. That was as close as he had ever gotten to a compliment from the Jedi Master in all his time in the Temple.

The Jedi turned to him. "You spoke with Shaak Ti?" Mace Windu questioned, with a hint of suspicion in his voice. Anakin shuddered in apprehension: this was exactly what he'd been afraid of. He could sense the Jedi's senses were suddenly on full alert.

"Yes. She told me you were going to arrest Obi-Wan, just before we arrived here from Naboo," Anakin said cautiously, trying to sound casual in his tone. They had a much bigger concern to worry about, in the form of the suspect lying on the ground, but he didn't want to get the Jedi Master upset at Shaak Ti or himself. The last thing he wanted was a fight between him and the Council.

"You brought the Senator here?" Mace Windu asked in an incredulous tone, picking up on who Anakin was referring to almost immediately.

"She insisted on coming along," Anakin said, shifting uncomfortably in his stance. That was another thing he wasn't prepared to discuss right now.

Mace Windu sighed deeply. "And why have you been speaking with Shaak Ti all this time?" the Jedi asked.

"She contacted me back when you saw me resign from the Jedi Order. She told me to come to her if I ever needed anything. She told me you were going to arrest Obi-Wan, and she thought that I should know about it," Anakin said carefully. There was no need to divulge all of the details of his interactions with Shaak Ti. There were more important things for them to worry about, and something told him that Mace knowing Shaak Ti had given him back his lightsaber on the day he left would make the Jedi Master angry indeed.

"…You almost sound like you were expecting trouble," Mace stared at him. There was something in that tone… "Like this wasn't unexpected at all."

Anakin hesitated, but there was no denying the inclination he felt to finally say something, after all these months.

"Actually, it wasn't. I sensed something was wrong back when I resigned. That was why I left the Order," Anakin responded, feeling a weight lift off his chest now that he had finally confided in someone, besides Padmé and family.

The shock was immediate, though Mace did his best to control it. Still, Anakin could see the momentary exercise of horror and surprise as his mouth opened and closed briefly.

"Did you know this was happening? Did you know he was teetering on the dark side?" Mace demanded.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Mace demanded.

Anakin looked him straight in the eye. "Would you have believed me if I did?"

Mace looked as though he were about to respond, but he didn't get the chance.

An ominous cackle suddenly made its way into the room. Anakin and Mace looked toward the entryway to see a black cloaked figure coming into the room. Anakin and Mace looked at each other in shock. They hadn't sensed this figure come in through the Force!

The figure clapped his hands once as he entered the room, laughing a nearly mocking sound as he went along. The figure looked up, and Anakin was taken aback beyond words as he finally saw the face of the Sith Lord who was behind the war for the first time.

"Oh gods," Anakin mumbled.

It was Palpatine.

The face of the Supreme Chancellor peered out from under the hood, leering at them with a malicious smile that sent shivers down Anakin's body.

Anakin felt as though he might collapse from the shock. All this time he had trusted the Chancellor, defending him to Padme and the Jedi at every opportunity, up until that fateful day when Palpatine showed his true colors, betraying him and his wife in front of the whole galaxy on the HoloNet. But even that had not alerted him to the full extent of his duplicity. Palpatine had never been his friend, not in the slightest. And he had certainly never been a good man. He was more than just a corrupt politician. He was a monster, in every sense of the word.

"Very good, Anakin," the Sith Lord goaded him, grinning savagely as he laughed a raspy, taunting noise. He clasped his hands in mock approval, as he confronted the baffled Jedi before him.

"Right on time, I see," Palpatine smirked at him.

He looked at Mace. "And Master Windu, I see you still keep your skills in top shape." He looked at Obi-Wan. Curiously, he did not seem angry, at least to Anakin. In fact, he seemed almost…pleased.

"How could you?" Anakin stared at him, voice overcome with the stings of betrayal.

"How could I what? Manipulate you? It was simply business, dear boy. You would have made a great Sith Lord, had you completed your training with me. But you let your…love," Palpatine disgustedly spat out the word, "corrupt you. Ordinarily, I would have killed her, but I think I will spare her as a token of our past friendship. She is of no use against me now. There is nothing she can do. You've taken care of that for me," Palpatine knowingly smiled in complete confidence.

Before Anakin could be outraged at the threat against Padmé, Palpatine continued. "Alas, I have found a new apprentice, one that has the will and vision to build a new age for the galaxy."

Mace caught on quick. He looked at Obi-Wan and then back at Palpatine. "You Sith monstrosity! What have you done to him?"

"I have done nothing that he didn't want. He has been freed of the limitations and petty rules of being a Jedi, and now he will become more powerful than you can imagine," Palpatine said.

Palpatine grinned, knowing he had the upper hand against the Jedi.

And suddenly, Mace had a horrifying thought. The Sith Master would not have revealed himself to the Jedi unless he had something else planned. A terrible wave of dread suddenly swept over his senses, chilling him to the bone. Something terrible was in store for the Temple. Mace and Anakin looked at each other, and they both had the same thought. Palpatine had planned something, and now they had to stop whatever it was.

Mace looked into Skywalker's eyes, and sent one single message into his consciousness. "Go."

"Master?" Anakin responded incredulously. The thought of leaving Mace Windu to face these two enemies alone was abhorrent, even if they weren't on the best of terms with each other.

"We can't fight both of them. Go," Master Windu told him sternly.

It didn't matter if they didn't get along well. The Temple was in danger. Mace Windu had never really approved of Anakin Skywalker, but if Anakin could save the Temple and those inside it, then Mace would be eternally grateful to him.

Anakin closed his eyes, and then he made a momentous decision. He left the room and the Jedi Master to his fate, running in a quick sprint. Palpatine made no effort to stop him.

Mace looked at the Sith Lord curiously, but no words were exchanged. They knew this was a game – a Dejarik contest for the fate of the galaxy. Mace ignited his lightsaber, daring Palpatine to attack him. Palpatine signaled for Obi-Wan to remain in his place, and then he ignited his own lightsaber.

They met in a clash of blades, Jedi crossing Sith in a long awaited confrontation. Hard, unmerciful slashes were exchanged between the two men, unrepentant in their intent to kill. Mace struck hard at the Sith, using his unorthodox arcs to deflect Palpatine's attacks and try to get in some of his own. Palpatine came hard at Mace, forcing the Jedi Master to use every ounce of energy he had to match him. They moved at near lightning speed, with their slashes too quick for a viewer to detect. Mace knew he could not let this man take him down without a fight, and he poured every ounce of energy he had into his unusual gifts to detect his opponent's moves before they happened.

He fought the most beautiful duel in his life. This was the quickest, most effective he had ever been in his life. But Mace was tired from his battle with Obi-Wan, and he was slowing down as the battle wore on. Palpatine pushed him harder and harder, raining down fury on him, until Mace finally fell to the enhanced fury of the Sith Lord. Mace fell to his knees, holding his wrist in pain as Palpatine slashed the lightsaber from his hand. He looked up to see Palpatine with his death's blade, looming over him like an executioner readying his sentence.

Palpatine threw his lightsaber to Obi-Wan, who swiftly caught it in his hand.

"Finish him," Palpatine ordered his apprentice.

Obi-Wan stepped close to Mace, looking him down with menace in his eyes.

Mace closed his eyes, looking down in anticipation.

And then Obi-Wan swiped his blade through his neck, separating the Jedi Master's head from his body.

The Jedi Master's body fell to the ground. Palpatine turned to Vader, who wordlessly gave him back his lightsaber.

"The Jedi Council will soon be alerted to what has happened here. We must move quickly to neutralize them," Palpatine said ominously, moving towards the window that had been shattered by Kit Fisto's death.

Vader followed him to the window overlooking the city.

"The 501st is waiting at the spaceport. Take them to the Temple and wipe out all the Jedi there," Palpatine said.

"What about Anakin?" Vader asked.

Palpatine grinned at his apprentice's foresight, knowing already that Anakin would survive the attack at the Temple.

"Don't worry, we will deal with him soon enough," Palpatine assured him. "Now go. Carry out your task."

"Yes, my Master." Vader departed to carry out his deadly task.

Palpatine looked down at the comlink he had pulled out from his robe. He had created this comlink specifically for this purpose, and now the time had come for it to fulfill its task. He grinned as he raised the device to his lips.

"Commander Cody, the time has arrived. Execute Order 66."

Palpatine grinned as the comlink shut off. The end of the Jedi Order had begun. And soon, the Sith would rule triumphant over the galaxy.

Anakin ran as the deserted halls of the apartment building passed him by. Sidious would surely have guards coming up here to rush at him, and he had to get out of here. He had to get to the Jedi Temple as soon as possible. He had to warn everyone of what Sidious had planned: whatever it was, it was going to spell disaster for the galaxy.

He stopped momentarily as he felt Master Windu's death. That was it. Now his mission was critical! He had to get to that temple, at any costs.

Little did he know the events that were about to unfold in the next few minutes, and the grave consequences they would have for the entire galaxy.