The Empire Falls

A/N WARNING MATURE CONTENT BELOW! If you cannot stomach displays of violence, do not read on!

Anakin and Obi-Wan used the Force to jump as the Imperial Palace exploded behind them. They used the Force to slow their decent since they had been at the top and slowly fell to the ground. The fighting had stopped as Imperial Palace blew up. Anakin looked over his hurt son and Obi-Wan approached Mara.

"Mara, have you seen your mother?"

"No, Kenobi, but I will," she stated, turning away as Obi-Wan scratched his beard puzzled. Anakin turned to his son who appeared to be blind.

"Dad, Dad...I can't see. Why can't I see?"

"Use the Force, Luke," Anakin replied. "We must get you to a medic. Cody, Alpo," Anakin ordered in his General voice. "Get my son and Jedi Master Yoda to a medic."

"Yes, sir," they answered saluting him. Anakin, gathered Padme and his daughter and had Rex contact the Alliance as he addressed Imperial Center.

"I am Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker, although most of you know me better from my days during the Clone Wars as the Hero With No Fear, as a General of the Republic Army, I know a lot of you feel that I abandoned you to the Darkness, to the Empire. I have not. I have been here, fighting for the freedoms of all of you even as I fought for my own family. I am not a great politician, I can only say what I know and what I feel, I never did care for the politics. The Emperor is dead. He died by my hand. And I will see to it that the galaxy never falls to the Empire again," Anakin watched as holonet reporters came onto the scene. "I would like to apologize for breaking the Code of the Jedi. I married right after the Battle of Genosis, while I was still a Jedi Padawan. I married one of the bravest and kindest women in the galaxy, one I know many of you believed to have died as well. She is much better at politics that I am. I would like to introduce you all to my wife, the former Queen and Senator of Naboo, Padme Amidala Skywalker, and my daughter, Leia Amidala Skywalker, now if you would please excuse me my son needs me." Anakin pushed through the crowds ignoring the holoreporters as someone tapped his shoulder.

"You dropped this datapad, sir."

"No, I didn't."

"I assure you, you did." Anakin picked up the datapad and opened it up, and what he saw turned his blood cold. He looked back at Padme and Leia. How would he explain this to them? He ignored it for now, and went to his son's side, in the medic on Coruscent.

"Senator Amidala, how long have you been married to General Skywalker?"

"Was there something going on with his padawan?"

"How could you keep this a secret?"

"What about your family, did they know?"

"Please, one question at a time," Padme repeated softly, as she turned to her daughter. "We are citizens just like everyone else. We fell in love, and my husband being a Jedi, we did what we had to."

"Your husband assassinated the Emperor, did he not? How do you feel about that?"

"My husband is a Jedi, he defended the Galaxy."

"He put the galaxy in chaos."

"May I speak, Mom?" The holonet reporters silenced as the daughter of Anakin Skywalker took her place and stood up.

"We are taxpaying citizens. We are also Jedi. And it is a Jedi's job to protect and defend, all of you. Perhaps, together, we can find a way away from the lies of the Emperor and with democracy restored we can finally have the trust and faith that once existed before marshal law. No longer will we have to worry about our belongings being searched, about our starships being boarded by Imperial soldiers, our right to carry a blaster taken from us. We have the right to defend ourselves, just like soldiers of the Empire. We have elected by popular vote, until the Senate can convene Viceroy Senator Organa until such time as a public vote can be held in the Senate. We urge you all to think about what democracy means to you, what freedom means to you before you elect a Representative that will uphold the very fabric the very ideals of democracy." They were shouts and clapping before she had even finished her speech. And Leia Skywalker blushed, she felt like those were the words they needed to be spoken. "I am a Jedi, and I beseech all of you, a Jedi is not a person to fear, but a person who fights for you, a Jedi's duty is to the Republic, they are there to protect you. I am one of you, and I am a Jedi. I serve you, we will be looking into all of the refugees from both wars, our first order of business needs to be to give sentinents the basic rights allotted to all citizens, forgotten under the Empire. The war must end, we must work together to become one people, one galaxy again as it was in the days before Palpatine," there was a general clapping and whispers. "Now, I will turn this back over to my mother while I join my father and brother."

In the weeks that followed, Leia Amidala spent more time in politics with her mother, and less time with the Jedi. She still held a grudge against Mara Jade Kenobi, and though the girl was healing she still felt darkness within her. She knew that her brother liked her a lot, and it worried her. She knew her father was making plans to go to Tattooine and then he fell ill, and the more ill he fell the better her brother got, until he was released. She visited her father with her brother.

"Dad, it's me Leia. Luke's with me. You can stop it now, Luke's fine. He's okay."

"Leia, Luke come closer," he whispered. "Your mother?"

"She's been here a lot, it's hurting her health Dad. Hers and the babies, she keeps herself so busy but the doctor's are afraid she will lose the baby." Suddenly, his eyes shot open, and she saw the same blue as her brother's.

"Han, Han Solo was captured. He's on Tattoine. Be careful. He keeps slaves. I fear the worse for Solo. I hired the bounty hunter. Aurra Sing."

"You, Dad but why?" Leia asked shocked.

"I know," Luke answered. "Palpatine told me what he did to you. But it's okay. We forgive you." And Anakin smiled at his children.

"Your mother?"

"She will be fine, as long as you are there," Luke answered, and Anakin sat up, regaining his strength.

"Were you willing yourself to die?" Leia asked crossly. "Sacrificing yourself for Mom and Luke!" Leia screamed at him angrily. "Do you not know... How dare you, Dad! You always told us that a Skywalker couldn't die unless they wanted to!" Anakin shrugged guiltily.

"I completed my destiny, the Empire's gone."

"What about Mom? What about Luke? What about me? What about the baby?" Anakin pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I don't want to cause you pain, Princess," his voice cracked.

"Come home, Dad."

"Alright, let's go," he sat up putting on his Jedi robes. She looked at his still missing arm.

"You should get that fixed."

"I will. I'm a master mechanic."

"And a master Jedi. The Alliance has passed a bill authorizing the reconstruction of the Jedi Temple, you should help."

"Alright, I'll see if I can help."

"Is this about Master Yoda?" Luke asked and Anakin shifted again. "Master Yoda wouldn't have wanted you to die."

"Alright, I will do what I can. You two need to rescue Han Solo. And take Artoo with you, he's always watched my back. And Three-pio, there are times he can be helpful."

"What about you?"

"I've got your mother."

"Alright." The twins left their father to go packing, when Lando knocked on Luke's door.

"Come in."

"Luke, I've got a confession to make. I ran into that Aurra Sing, and I told her where Han was. I need to say, I'm sorry. I will take your lead. Do whatever you ask."

"Alright. Pack your things. We are taking the Falcon. It's a small ship, will be unnoticed by any of the Imps still trying to fight." Lando nodded.

Meanwhile, Padme Amidala Skywalker was smiled to see her husband who needed to shave. "Your back, Ani, I was so worried."

"I'm sorry, angel," he stated taking her into his arms and rubbing her slightly round belly.

"The medic says it's a girl."

"I thought you didn't want to know."

"Well, look what happened last time when I didn't want to know. This time, I figured I would be prepared."

"Senator Amidala, it's a comm from the Queen of Hapes. She says it's urgent."

"Ani, I have to take this...you understand?"

"Of course. I should head to the Jedi Temple, see what kind of mess Master Obi-Wan has gotten himself in now."

And on the distant world of Kamino, Palpatine opened his eyes and stretched his new limbs. He was going to take the galaxy back by Force if he had too. He hadn't planned and manipulated for so long to lose to a bunch of Jedi. A bunch of worthless Skywalker's. He opened his yellow eyes and smiled at his reflection in the mirror. The Force was so much more powerful inside his new body. He heard the Cloners around him.

"He's coming around."

"We should contact the mistress, and let her know." Reaching out with the Force he strangled the Cloners and stealing himself a starship he headed for the distant world of Korriban so that he could record his teachings for the next generation. He smiled at his reflexes, it had been so long since he had been this young, and appearance could be deceivingly. He liked the way he looked. How long had it been since he had been so attractive. He landed and found a couple of willing sentinets and tried his new body out with two men and a woman, relishing in the dark side energy he felt within them as he spread discontent and lust within them, spilling his seed into the woman, as he hoped for an offspring to rival that of the Skywalker's. He held a knife up to her neck, and kept her bound as he did the boys. He would play with them all. His little pets. He would keep the men away from the woman even as he played with them all, using his knife to cut their arms and legs, just a little, as he relished in the pain. He fed them water, and nutrients, but the woman she was fed a special tonic, to help her conceive a child of the dark side. A powerful force user to take out the Skywalker's once and for all. He relished in torturing the woman, in hearing her screams, listening to her beg. Meg, she was called. He pulled on her golden locks.

"Who do you belong to?"

Y-y-y-you, Master." He pushed the knife against her chest watching the blood welt on her skin as he smiled, flashing his perfect, white teeth as he used the force to propel him forward and lick the blood from on her, his teeth marring her skin before he looked into her tear-stained eyes.

"W-what do you want from me, Master?" she whimpered.

"I have told you that already!" he screamed at her, pressing his fingernails into her shoulder, where the bruises there began to welt and bleed again. "I want a powerful heir."

"I-I-I'm doing my best, Master."

"Here drink this!" he screamed at her, pulling her lips apart and pushing the tonic down her throat, she gulped it greedily.

"Whore!" he screamed at her. She said nothing, as she shook, strapped on a metal bed, spread eagle her whole body exposed, vulnerable to his wishes. He turned to look at the men who were strapped one beside the other in the same way. He would go and attack the men, Wilfred, and Nate whenever the mood struck him. They too, cowered in his presence. Sometimes, he would let them out to play, but never very long. He made them watch Meg's torture, getting a sick pleasure from their reactions of disgust that they tried to hide from him. Soon, he would have an heir that would continue his plans, and this Meg was weak and easily manipulated. He had tried his powers on her, making sure they would work, and well the dark side energy grew as their fear grew, and he relished and grew being around his captives. …...