Chapter 17

After coming back to Coruscant, Padme did meet up with, not only her good friend Bail Organa, but also with a few other Senators, who like her, was part of a delegation, called the Delegation of 2000. It was their plan to have Palpatine removed from the seat of Supreme Chancellor, before he showed his true nature as the Dark Sith Lord and made himself Emperor of the Imperial Galaxy.

While Padme and Bail Organa were in their secret meetings, Anakin had learned that in the cover of darkness, the Emperor had left Coruscant and moved back to Naboo, to his mountain retreat. He also learned that Palpatine’s health was failing very quickly and if they were going to get rid of him, the time for their attack has to be now. Anakin’s plan was for him or Darth Vader, to bring Padme to the Emperor. When the Emperor demands for Anakin/Darth Vader to kill her, it will be at this time, when Anakin will show Palpatine his true identity, as a Jedi Knight. Then, he will signal Obi-Wan, who will be waiting, not far from them, with a small army. They will storm into the retreat and this will give Anakin the time he needs to strike the final blow and kill Palpatine.

“ Are you ready for this, Padme?” Anakin looked over to Padme, as they began to descend towards the mountain regions of Naboo.

“ Um . . . yeah, as ready as I will ever be. Anakin, I just want you to know that I love you and I have never stopped loving you.” Padme looked away from the viewport and looked straight at Anakin.

“ I love you too, Padme. Like you, I have never stopped loving you either. Ok, here we go.” Anakin landed the ship in a small wooded area, not very far from Palpatine’s retreat.

Once they landed, both Anakin and Padme went into the small lounge area of the ship and got ready for what was ahead of them.

“ I really do not like to put these on you, Padme, but you know that I have too.” Anakin reached over to the game table and picked up the handcuffs.

“ Yes, I know.” Padme held out her arms right in front of her and watched Anakin put the handcuffs on her wrists.

Then, he helped Padme put on her cloak and pulled the hood onto her head, so that way, no one would realized that it was her. Once Padme was ready, then Anakin grabbed his cloak and like Padme, he pulled his hood over his head, so that way, no one would recognize him. They left the ship and made their way through the forest, to where Palpatine’s family estate was located. As they came up to the entrance of the huge estate house, both Padme and Anakin saw two Red Imperial Guards standing at the entrance way.

“ This is going to be really fun.” Padme looked over at Anakin and she could tell that he moving his hand to her arm, so he could take a hold of her.

“ Just stay quiet and let me take care of them." "Well, good afternoon, gentlemen. I am here to collect the award, for bringing the Emperor the person that he has been looking for, for over a year and half.” Anakin whispered, just as they came up to the two Guards.

“ Well, you are just wasting your time. The Emperor is not seeing anyone at this time, but you can hand the prisoner over to us. We can give her over to Lord Vader, when he shows up and he can take care of her.” one of the Red Guards looked from one hooded figure to the other.

“ No, can do. For you see, I will take her straight to the Emperor and let him deal with her, as he sees fit. So, now get out of my way or else.” Anakin moved his arm and began choking both Guards, by using the Force.

“ You are scaring me, when you do that. I guess you can say, that I can still remember you using that hold on me. You almost killed me and our children.” Padme shivered, as she remembered that day too.

“ I am so very sorry that I did that to you. I really should have trusted you and even Obi-Wan, and not put all my trust in the Supreme Chancellor.” Anakin watched, as the two Guards slid lifeless down to the ground.

Anakin led Padme into the dark entrance of the retreat. They walked down the very dimly lit hallway, to the double doors that were at the end of the hallway, where the throne room was located.

“ Halt! No one is to enter his Majesty’s private quarters.” another Red Guard stopped the couple.

“ Think again.” Anakin began using the Force choke again on the Guard. Like the other two Guards before him, the poor man slid down to the ground, dead.

Anakin opened the double doors and they walked into the huge room.

“ I thought I told my guards not to let anyone . . . in . . . side . . . my . . . estate.” Palpatine began coughing, as he looked at the two people, who came into the room.

“ Yeah, so, I have been told. I have brought you the one person who has escaped you, for over a year and half. May I present to you: Senator Amidala.” Anakin pulled Padme’s hood off of her head, so that way, Palpatine could see that it is really Padme.

“ Well . . . well . . . you . . . are . . . really . . . alive . . . and now . . . I . . . would like . . . to see who . . . the person is . . . that brought . . . you . . . here . . . to . . . me…” the Emperor was having a hard time breathing.

Anakin reached up and removed his hood. He saw a huge surprised look come across Palpatine’s face.

“ How . . . you . . . were . . . near . . . death . . . when . . . I . . . found . . . you . . . you were . . . not . . . to . . . ever . . . come . . . out . . . of the . . . suit.” Palpatine realized his mistake and gave Anakin a very dark sneer, just as he saw Anakin push a button on his Com-link.

“ Well, then, I guess am more powerful than you thought. Now, the time has come for your reign to come to an end, Palpatine.” Anakin pulled out his lightsaber and pushed the button to active it, just as there was a small explosion, just outside the estate.

“ Oh, that is where you . . . are so very wrong . . . my young apprentice.” With quick speed, Palpatine leapt out of his hover chair and grabbed Padme.

“ Padme!” Anakin called out, as he saw Palpatine take his saber to Padme’s throat.

“ Ah . . . I . . . see that . . . you still . . . have . . . feelings . . . for . . . this person.” Palpatine looked at the young man and saw the fear come into the man’s eyes.

Before Palpatine could carry out the beheading of Padme, the doors exploded and it caused him to lose his grip on Padme. Padme slid downwards, just as she saw Anakin look straight at Palpatine and gave him an evil smile, before he swung the saber away from him and began coming towards her and Palpatine. As she slid down to the floor,at the same time, the saber hit Palpatine at the shoulders. Then, she looked down, as Palpatine’s head fell to the floor, right next to her. “

Anakin. you did it! Welcome back to the light side!” Obi-Wan came into the room, just as he saw the saber came back to Anakin’s hand.

“ I never left the light side, Obi-Wan.” Anakin turned to his best friend and brother.

Anakin went over to Padme,helped her up to her feet and felt her wrap her arms around him, as she hid her face into his chest, and began to shake.

“ It is ok,Angel. Am here, and he will never hurt you or anyone else anymore.” Anakin pulled Padme closer to him and just held her in a tight hug. They just held each other, as to let each other know that things are going to be ok.

“ There is one more thing that I have to do, before we leave here. Obi-Wan, can you take Padme out of here, please and wait for me outside.” Anakin let go of Padme and nodded over to Obi-Wan, who came over to get Padme and take her outside.

Obi-Wan put his arm around Padme’s shoulders and led her out of the estate. Once, Anakin knew that they were outside, he went over to one of the statues and pulled the arm down and a hidden door opened up. It led down to the basement and it was down here, that Anakin saw one of Palpatine’s huge dark secrets that he kept from everyone: Clones. Anakin actived his saber and then, he began destroying all the clones of the Emperor. They were all in different stages of development, from fetuses to young versions of Palpatine. Once all the clones were dead, Anakin left the secret room and found the small group, waiting just outside the Estates gates.

“ Let us go and move far away from here.” Anakin came up to Padme, just as there was a rumbling, coming from deep inside the retreat. He picked up Padme and carried her to the waiting ship.

Once Anakin and Padme, along with Obi-Wan, was on board the ship, they headed for Theed, where they were all going to stay for a couple of days, with Padme’s parents, before heading back home to Tatooine and to the twins.