Miles away on Imperial Centre Darth Sidious felt the deaths of millions ripple out through the Force and savoured the feeling of pain and suffering before he realised. That many people dying all at once when the Death Star was not close enough to Alderaan to fire on it meant only one thing. That his Death Star had been destroyed.

He lashed out in rage, splintering windows and killing his throne room guards.

How dare they!

How dare those insolent rebels defy him this way! Him, Darth Sidious, killer of a million Jedi, the first Sith to reign over the galaxy since the Sith Empire millennia ago, him who could have lives snuffed out with a seconds thought or one order. They should bow before his might!

In Darth Sidious's anger he failed to notice his comm blinking. The comm that had formerly linked him directly to the now destroyed Death Star, and Wilhuff Tarkin. He would not notice it for many hours to come.

The last of the X-Wings slipped into the Rebel hangers and the blast doors on each warship closed as the fleet prepared for hyperspace.

Luke Skywalker pulled himself out of his X-Wing and jumped down into a crowd of cheering pilots. They clapped him on the back, and then hoisted him onto their shoulders, carrying him through the crowds. Alcohol was already being distributed as the ship shuddered, entering hyperspace, on the way to a new base. Luke looked up as they bore him over the crowd to see a hooded figure watching from an overlooking window. The figure raised a slender pale hand to him in acknowledgement and his friends bore him onwards, Luke warm with the knowledge that his mother was proud.

Padme Amidala Skywalker smiled down at her son, being carried around by his comrades as they celebrated possibly the greatest victory the Rebel Alliance had achieved in their lifetime, before she returned to the bridge conference room, and the plans that were already being formulated for the removal of the Empire.

Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi looked up from where they were conferring in the bridge conference room as the door slid open and Padme Amidala Skywalker swept in regally. She flipped down the hood of her dark blue robe as soon as the door closed and her eyes scanned over the room keenly.

"So," she said, her voice slicing keenly through the hubbub in the room. The room fell silent. "So," she repeated. "The members of the Alliance are celebrating our victory over the Death Star. But make no mistake this is but the first step towards the final victory. They will celebrate tonight of course, but it is our duty to look to the future."

"Padme and I are agreed that we will have no better moment to capitalise on this success," Anakin Skywalker added, slipping in behind his wife. "Even destroying a second Death Star will not give us the same opportunities as destroying this one will."

Around the room various generals nodded in agreement even as Skywalker continued: "As such, we propose that now is the most appropriate time to reveal the identity of Leader Skywalker and myself to the galaxy, the Rebellion and the Empire."

Silence fell.

On Imperial Centre Darth Sidious came back to (almost) sane consciousness. Immediately he cursed himself. He had indulged himself in anger and hatred, obviously good for a Sith Lord steeped in darkness like himself, nut had forgotten his duty to ensure that his Empire continued. Sidious strode back to his throne, berating himself angrily under his breath.

He sat himself down on the throne and then noticed the comm flickering. He growled deep in his throat and jabbed at the button.

The recently deceased Grand Moff Tarkin's face flickered up on his large hologram and bowed.

"Your Majesty," he greeted obsequiously. "The Rebel fleet have transmitted a holo to us that is imperative that you view. We received this only moments ago, while Lord Tenebris was pursuing some Rebel fighters down to the surface of the Death Star. He recommended you see this immediately."

The dead man bowed again and his image disappeared to be replaced by the holo he had mentioned.

It was simple and plain, an image taken with a low quality holocam, none of the expert imagery that he was accustomed to seeing. But the message was clear.

The holo showed the bridge of a Mon Calamari ship, most likely the flagship of the Alliance fleet, its poor quality not giving away any information about the Rebel's information and equipment. But in the centre of the image stood a group of figures that transfixed the Sith Lord. It was four figures, likely men by their height and build, three humans and one alien from what little Sidious could glimpse of their features. They were draped in brown robes, hoods pulled over their faces, and not just any brown robes. These were four Jedi, all men. An unpleasant pit of fear began to curdle in Sidious's stomach.

The Jedi who stood to the left was tall and broad, his robes falling to fully cover his face, only one hand extended, gesturing to the hologram of the battle. The other three Jedi were focused on him, and one of the Jedi had his head on one side, the one with his back to the camera. The edges of an oxygen mask were just visible around his hood. Plo Koon then. The other three Jedi were unrecognisable under the brown hoods and cloaks that swamped them.

Sidious swallowed slightly, and sent the holo to Imperial Intelligence for further analysis. Then he surrendered himself to the Dark Side currents once more and allowed himself to be consumed.

On the other side of the galaxy, speeding through hyperspace, several of the young Jedi Knights winced as the Force roiled with hate. A few of them began to develop throbbing headaches as they battled the anger spilling out of Sidious. Then a wave of Light rolled over their senses, brushing the Dark away with a flicker and soothing headaches. The Light came from one person, and it was full of love, joy and happiness, everything that Sidious most abhorred. The Light seemed to surround each of the Jedi and spread out into the galaxy, acting almost as a security blanket around the fleet.

On the bridge Obi-Wan Kenobi shot a glance at his former Padawan. "Thank you," he murmured under his breath.

Anakin shot a sideways glance at him and said mildly "I have no idea what you mean Master."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "Sure you don't," he muttered under his breath.

Anakin cast him another look and then returned his attention to the reports he was reviewing. On the other side of the table Padme looked up at them both and shook her head in exasperation, returning to the same activity as her husband.

"So what are we going to do?" Windu demanded as he entered the room.

Padme and Anakin looked up from their respective work. She tilted her head, narrowing her eyes, and one of his eyebrows flicked up.

"You think you have the right to demand that General Windu?" Padme asked icily.

"Why not?" Windu blustered. "I'm the Leader of the Alliance Jedi Council. We have a right to know!"

"No you don't," Padme contradicted.

Oh. Obi-Wan realised. General Windu. Padme had tried to remind Windu of his status in the Rebellion subtly. He hadn't taken the hint. Obi-Wan winced internally for his friend. If he'd had any prior illusions about the Jedi gaining any special status within the Alliance he was about to be speedily disabused of them, judging by the cold look on Padme's face. And the fact that Anakin was slowly backing out of his wife's eyeline, and motioning for Obi-Wan to join him.

Padme's about to lose it, Anakin said down their dormant bond. I find out of sight works better in this case.

Sure enough Anakin took up a position in a chair on the far side of the room and placed his datapads on the table beside him, looking at Padme and Windu with an expectant air.

Anakin? Obi-Wan queried.

Sorry Master, it's just, it's really quite funny when Padme lets rip like she's about to, he paused and added a codicil. Provided you're not the one she's yelling at of course.

I see.

With that in mind, Obi-Wan sat back with his former apprentice and decided to watch the show.

"What exactly about your status as a Jedi, leader of your council or not, gives you the right to demand highly classified information?" Padme continued quietly.

"We are the Jedi!" Windu declared. "We serve as the guardians of justice in the Republic-"

"And you did a marvellous job," Padme cut in, eyes hard, clearly willing to deal grievous wounds in order to make her point clear. "In the lead up to and during the Clone Wars, and in the years since the fall of the Republic. Tell me, General Windu, how many Force-sensitive younglings that your Order had responsibility for did you keep safe? Did you rescue? Did you try and divert Sidious at all using the Force? Did you attempt to reach out to those of us who remained loyal to the Republic and to the ideals that you claim to uphold?"

Windu spluttered but Padme spoke over him. "We have fought tyranny and injustice for almost twenty years Master Jedi. When you came to us to offer your assistance I defended you from those within our ranks who, rightly, declared that the Jedi Council had no right to come in after nineteen years of disappearance and act as if we had been doing nothing."

There was utter silence in High Command. Plo Koon and Ki-Adi Mundi had entered during the argument and were standing open-mouthed as Padme stared Windu down. They locked eyes for over a minute, a contest of wills, before Padme spoke again.

"Do not think that the Jedi will be able to assume their previous place in the New Republic that we will build Master Windu," she said coldly, brown eyes locked on his. "There will be questions asked, and there will be a reckoning. The Jedi will not be able to escape this war unscathed by political upheaval. You will not be able to revert to your old ways."

Windu made to interrupt but, again, Padme overrode him.

"Political systems that do not adapt stagnate Master Jedi. The Jedi's stagnation and refusal to accept changes has led to billions of deaths, and will lead to billions more by the time this war is through. I suggest that the Jedi remember that in the coming days. I suggest that you, all of you," casting her eyes around, "remember that you hold a military position within this organisation, and therefore you can be disciplined and you can be promoted." She met Windu's eyes again. "Master of the Alliance Council or not."

Windu opened and shut his mouth a few more times. Padme inclined her head, drew up her hood, gathered up her datapads and disappeared through a door. Anakin scrambled his things together and followed her, casting a single warning look at the Jedi Masters gathered in the area. The Generals and other members of High Command swiftly exited as well, leaving the Jedi Masters alone.

Obi-Wan rose from his chair and met the other Masters in the centre of the room. It appeared that there was much to discuss, and some that would require speaking with their colleagues that remained on Tython.

Anakin dumped his datapads in a locked cabinet in his and Padme's office and took off in search of her. Her Force signature showed signs of intense emotion, that any who didn't know her would assume was anger. He knew that she was merely using the technique he had taught her to hide other emotions, ones that people could exploit.

He palmed the door open and locked it behind him. His wife wasn't in their small sitting room and kitchenette, only her blue robe was discarded over one of the couches. He threw his own robe on top and crossed over to their bedroom.

The door slid open easily and revealed Padme curled on their bed, barefoot and crying. He quickly discarded his belt, armour and boots and sat on the bed behind her, wrapping his arms around her small frame. After only a moment's resistance she relaxed and turned into him. Anakin rested his head on top of hers.

"I don't know why I'm crying," his wife got out. "I'm angry. How dare he speak to me that way! How dare he assume such things! How dare he act as if this Alliance is nothing!"

"I know, Angel, I know," Anakin murmured. "It makes my blood boil you know, I could sense some of what he was feeling. But I know you can handle it. You always have done. And you put him in his place very nicely my love. You shouldn't have to do it again."

"I didn't want to do it in the first place," Padme said vehemently. "They came to us, they follow our rules."

"I agree," Anakin shifted so Padme was half on his lap. "Did you mean what you said about changing after the Republic is rebuilt?"

His wife pulled her head out of his tunic and met his eyes. "I did," she said strongly. "This is partly their fault after all. They can't expect that everything will go back the way it used to. Mon, Bail and I don't expect that about the Senate or the military. Why should they expect that about their organisation?"

"They shouldn't," Anakin agreed. "Any great phase of political upheaval, one way and then the other, will leave lasting effects on society. Nothing can go back to the way it was."

Padme blinked at him and he grinned down at her. "I do listen to you about politics now. I know I didn't, but you're right, you always were."

Padme rolled her eyes. "Flatterer," she muttered.

"Not if it isn't true."

Padme giggled wetly and sighed, subsiding into his arms. "Thank you Ani," she murmured.

"That's alright," he replied. They sat there for a few minutes in silence.

Then Padme shifted again, pulling herself out of his arms slightly. "So…"

"So what?"

"So how long until we're needed again?"

Anakin caught on immediately. "Oh at least an hour," he replied.

"Good," Padme lay down and pulled him with her, kissing him as they went down. "Lock the door," she murmured into his lips.

One slight Force manipulation and their bedroom was sealed to the ship. It might as well have been sealed to the world for all husband and wife knew.

AN:

My apologies for how long this took to update. I got writer's block and that combined with holidays, work and exams just prevented this chapter from being written. I'll try to update a little more frequently now, I know what's happening next more or less.

I hope you enjoy this next little bit of HoTR, and I'm hoping to upload the next chapter of The Lineage of the Naberrie Twins as soon as I get it finished, so hopefully in the next three weeks, fingers crossed.

Please review!

The8thDalmuti

PS: The Angel Network is now finished- please go and check out the final chapter!