What Could Have Been Part III: The Destined Warriors

Temple Attack

Anakin

"But the Temple hasn't been attacked since..."

Since Ahsoka was framed for it.

Instantly, Anakin turned to his panicked son and daughter. "Find your mother and get out of here!" he commanded earnestly. Luke shook his head. "No Dad. We're staying with you," he assured him, already gripping the hilt of his light saber.

"Luke," Anakin said with a sharp tone, "I'm asking you to trust to me."

"And I'm asking you to trust me, Dad!"

The words were all too familiar.

"Anakin, you have to trust me now!"

Losing a Padawan once was more than enough. He could never forgive himself for letting Ahsoka down and he was ready to risk his son and daughter. An attack on the Temple was more than anything they were prepared for. More than he was prepared for.

Anakin snapped from his trance. "I want you and your sister out of here. Now..." He demanded in a low voice. When Luke didn't budge from his spot, Anakin knew what he was thinking, or more so, what he and Leia were both thinking. Don't you dare Luke...

And then Anakin watched his son and daughter take off in the direction Master Windu had gone; the direction the explosion had come from.

Anakin gritted his teeth. "They are so grounded!" He growled as he sprinted after them. All around, people were evacuating; fear written on their faces. There were so many. He wondered if Padme was one of them. Please be okay.

But there was no time to find her. He had to get to that explosion. As he made his way down the hallways, the rumble of weaker explosions rattled his ears. Whoever was attacking had a lot of fire power.

Another blast hit and left the building quaking as Anakin pushed past fleeing Holonet news casters. He didn't know much about construction, but he knew it wouldn't take long to bring it down.

And there were still people in the Temple.

Anakin found the nearest intercom and slammed a palm on the emergency message button. "Attention! Attention! This is an emergency evacuation! Exit the area immediately! I repeat: Exit the area immediately... Also, Luke and Leia you two are in so much trouble when I find you!"

Just as Anakin ended the evacuation call, the Temple began to fall.

It started with light debris showering down from the ceiling. Anakin sprinted through corridors as millimeter wide rubble plummeted onto his head like a meteor shower after every blast the building took. It was impossible to tell how long they had, but Anakin knew it wasn't much time. Where were these explosions coming from?

Anakin saw his answer right in front of him as he rounded the corner to the landing bay at the south end of the Temple. The vast, high-ceiling room was in occupied by hundreds of Jedi, thousands of Alliance troopers, and countless troops in navy armor.

Rett Lisban's military.

Within seconds, the Grand Master had his electric blue blade humming between clenched hands. He joined in on the battle while also scanning for any sign of his son and daughter.

The navy-clad soldiers were strong; pushing back even the Jedi Knights as well as Alliance soldiers. For every one of Rett's men that fell, three Alliance troops were already on the ground. It was an incredible revelation to Anakin. They were losing.

But something just didn't add up. Foot soldiers- of any kind- couldn't be delivering the devastating blows that were shaking the Temple. There was something bigger out there. And Anakin was determined to find it.