THE SKYWALKERS: book one

CHAPTER THREE - The Beginning of the End

Obi-Wan rushed through the Senate Office Building with Yoda on his heels. Luckily they were able to get through it mostly undetected, thanks to the chaos the attack on the Jedi Temple and word of the Jedi's supposed betrayal brought. Both Jedi had their hoods up over their heads, obscuring their identities.

They'd broken off from Organa when they reached the Senate Building, as he had his own business to attend to. Obi-Wan wondered if he should've advised against Organa attending any sort of Senate meeting given the climate, but at least Organa wasn't a fugitive Jedi.

Obi-Wan could sense Palpatine and Anakin up in the Sith lord's office, so he picked up the pace. He had to intervene before Anakin was killed.

The elevator ride seemed to take an eternity, and Yoda wasn't very good company, as he sat in the corner, seemingly meditating. Obi-Wan couldn't imagine meditating right then—his heart was racing with the anticipation of fighting the Sith lord they'd been looking for over a decade.

Yoda took out the guards positioned outside Palpatine's office door, and Obi-Wan swept into the office without waiting for Yoda. He dropped his cloak to the floor and ignited his lightsaber.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked.

Anakin spun around, looking relieved, and Obi-Wan noticed sweat pooling on his brow.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi, I must confess I'm surprised to see you alive. You never were the most talented Jedi," Palpatine snarled. "And Master Yoda, how good it is to see you."

Obi-Wan controlled his feelings, forcing himself to hold his tongue and let Yoda handle it.

"Good to see you, it is not, Darth Sidious," Yoda ignited his tiny green lightsaber.

Palpatine laughed at the two Jedi and turned his attention back to Anakin. Obi-Wan realized that Palpatine knew as well as they did that Anakin was instrumental to what happened next.

"Lord Vader, these puny Jedi cannot give you the power to save your wife."

Obi-Wan's eyes widened at the mention of Anakin's wife, but he once more did his best to push away his emotions.

"I can," Palpatine continued. "The Dark Side can."

Obi-Wan wanted desperately to just engage Palpatine and be done with it, but he knew he shouldn't. He looked to Yoda for guidance, who was staring intently at Palpatine. Obi-Wan turned his attention back to Anakin—to the boy he'd spent so much of his life training. He sensed the conflict. Yoda was right, Anakin could still be saved.




Anakin Skywalker couldn't understand why Obi-Wan and Yoda weren't charging the Sith right then and there. It was three against one. Surely they'd win. He glanced back at Obi-Wan only to find him sporting a very worried expression. He turned back to Palpatine.

"Use my knowledge. I beg you!" Palpatine gave Anakin a desperate look, but those same words had less of an effect coming from a deformed, warped old man with glowing yellow eyes as opposed to the kindly old man to whom Anakin felt he could trust his secrets.

Anakin wondered if perhaps there was a way to leave him alive and still get the information to save Padmé. Maybe Palpatine didn't need to be killed just yet...

Young Skywalker, fooled, you have been.

Was that his imagination? Or was Yoda talking to him...inside his head?

Palpatine's specialty, lies are.

There it was again. Master Yoda?

Yes. Save your wife, Palpatine cannot.