Darth Padmé One-Shot (Patreon)

Anakin cut down the final young Tusken with an angry screech of his lightsaber. The howling crackle echoed in the now still camp as Anakin gasped for breath, not from exhaustion, but from utter exertion. These beings had been utterly defenseless once he killed their warriors. Many of them had fallen to their knees and pleaded for mercy in a tongue Anakin couldn’t understand. Many mothers begging him to spare their children’s lives. He had ended them all. Swung his saber with every once of strength in his body each and every time. Their screeching had grated on his ears, and he’d even choked the sound out of a couple of them with the Force.

Now, here he stood, gasping for breath as the adrenaline began to fade and the Dark Side receded from his vision. And Anakin Skywalker found himself standing in the middle of a mass grave he himself had created. As the Dark receded, cold replaced it. As he felt his lightsaber, still smoking, fall from suddenly numb fingers, he fell to his knees as horror overtook him. “What have I done?!” He cried out.

“You slaughtered a whole village.” A familiar voice came from behind him.

Anakin stiffened in horror. ‘No, no, not her!’ He slowly turned around, ready to see condemnation in her gaze. “Padmé-” He trailed off as he took her in.

She wasn’t staring at him in horror. She wasn’t recoiling. She didn’t even look particularly disturbed. She was just looking right at him, her face expressionless. “How did it feel?” She asked, her gaze dispassionate. Not like her at all.

“I-I feel awful.” He replied, still feeling like he needed to vomit. “I-I killed them all. Not just the men. But the women. And the children too!”

“I did not ask how you feel now.” Padmé said, still staring at him. His eyes widened in shock. “I asked how you felt during it.”

He spun to face her, still on his knees. “I… Why are you-”

“Answer the question, Anakin.” She said, her voice still cold.

He clenched his fist. “Good.” He finally hissed out, feeling anger well up again. Who was this imposter wearing his Angel’s face?! “Ending every one of their miserable lives felt good. A rush. I hated them and I enjoyed it! I felt powerful. Like I was wielding the Force in a way I never had. It felt righteous. These creatures have done worse to so many others!” The anger vanished and left him feeling empty. “But it doesn’t bring my mom back… and now I just feel empty…”

“What you experienced…” Padmé smiled slightly, warmly, “Was the power of the Dark Side.”

Anakin stood slowly, his hand gripping his lightsaber. “How do you know of the Dark Side?” She smiled and turned away from him with a swish of a white cloak. “Padmé? Padmé!” he ran after her as she walked directly to the tent containing his mother’s corpse.

She kneeled before her, gently wiping away a speck of dust from Shmi’s skin. She looked right at Anakin with a small, secretive smile. “It’s time you learn of the real power your Jedi Order is keeping from you.” She placed a hand on Shmi’s chest and something in the Force surged. And Shmi’s body, which had been still and lifeless for over an hour at this point, twitched. A ragged gasp tore through his mother’s mouth as her eyes popped open. Her head then fell back as she fell unconscious. But she was whimpering in pain. Padmé still had her eyes locked with Anakin’s as she said, “And now.” Sparks that Anakin initially thought was Sith Lightning engulfed her fingers.

To Padmé’s eyes, cracks in the air appeared over Shmi. She was a mess of injuries. But the Dark Side of the Force was a path to abilities the Jedi considered unnatural. Padmé forced the dark energy into these Shaterpoints. Shmi’s back immediately arched as she gasped for breath again, and before Anakin’s disbelieving eyes, her most dangerous wounds simply closed. She was still wounded, but out of danger. She could heal naturally now. She was alive. She was still unconscious as Padmé stopped her Dark Transfer, but that was for the best. It was an ability to treat wounds, not to cure exhaustion. Padmé was also sweating lightly from the exertion.

Anakin fell to his knees feeling many emotions engulf him. Disbelief. Joy. Love. Anger. And most importantly of all… sheer adoration for Padmé. “How is this possible?” He asked hoarsely.

She walked to him and gently grabbed his chin, her nails leaving gentle trails of fire on his neck. He almost shuddered from it. “It’s a long story, Ani.” She licked her lips at the worship she could see in his eyes. He would do anything for her. “So let me finally introduce myself properly.” She smirked at him, “I am Darth Umbra, Dark Lady of the Sith.” Anakin felt his breath leave him as though she had punched him in the gut. “Come and bring your mother.” She turned and walked out of the tent.

Anakin wanted to protest but she was gone. He gathered Shmi into his arms and followed Padmé to his Speeder. She had one parked right next to it, and he placed his mother gently onto it. He went to mount it, but Padmé stopped him. She gently grabbed his hand, lacing her fingers with his, and brought him back to the Tusken camp. “Now I want you to remember how it felt to slaughter these animals.” She murmured to him. “Feel the Dark Side within you. It will always be with you now.”

“I-”Anakin’s words caught in his throat as he looked at her. At his angel. His angel who had literally delivered his mother from death. He looked back at the camp and summoned the Dark Side within him.

“Good.” She breathed into his ear. “Feel its power. Revel in it.” Anakin’s other fist clenched at his side as he embraced the anger he had felt. “Now raise your other hand and let it flow from you.”

Anakin raised his right hand as he listened to her seductive whispers. The Dark Side writhed around them as black lightning erupted from his fingers. It was completely uncontrolled and oh so powerful. He cut it off with a shocked yelp, but even that short burst had been enough to glass the sand and disintegrate some of the corpses.

“Good, Ani, my love.” She whispered in his ear, pressing her lips to his cheek. “Again. Leave no trace of this wretched community.”

Anakin let out a snarl as he flung his hand forward again, black lightning starting fires and turning sand to glass. He had always been a quick learner. The Force sang in his grasp. It had taken him weeks to be capable of outshining those who had been learning the Light Side for years. And even now, he made Padmé a little jealous. She could feel him quickly learning to regulate his power and how to put even more power into it if he wished.

And then, all of a sudden, he stopped as he looked at his hand. “Ani?” Padmé asked curiously.

“…” With the Tusken Outpost half destroyed, Anakin turned and began to walk away, hand-in-hand with Padmé. A look of frustration crossed her face, but she said nothing. And then, when they were completely away from it, they mounted their Speeders and drove for about twenty seconds. Padmé felt Anakin slow down and she turned around, before doing the same as they slowed to a stop. Anakin dismounted as she watched curiously. He raised his hand, the Dark Side surging like Padmé had never felt before, and then it concentrated above the distant village.

Even she couldn’t keep her breath within her as a sudden storm appeared above the camp. The same lightning that he had shot from his fingers, now rained on the entire outpost, consuming it entirely. And Padmé knew more than ever that Anakin had to be hers. As he cut off his power, he turned and smirked right at her. And that look on his face did things to her belly that she had never experienced before. She leapt from her speeder and ran for him. She leapt into his arms and sealed her lips against his.

-]|[-

They made their way back to the Lars family home to put Shmi to rest and then made their way back to her Nubian vessel. The second the ramp had closed behind them, they were on each other. Clothes tore and went flying as their passions consumed them. They were hungry for one another, their innocent time on Naboo having already started the process, even while Padmé had been pretending to just be a normal girl. Even while she had been intending to simply seduce and use him.

She hadn’t been trained as a Sith in the traditional way. She learned what she needed to learn but had never been given the trial. There was still room for the Light in her, just as Anakin had a capacity for the Dark. She had learned on Naboo that no plan survived contact with the enemy. Not when the enemy was so endearingly dorky and utterly besotted with her.

And soon, she was gasping against him as the last shred of her innocence was torn away. Their passions utterly consumed them as they first made love and then really started going at it. The wet slaps of skin against skin echoed through their room on the cruiser. They couldn’t get enough of one another.

In the end, hours later, they were thanking the Force for their endurance and enhancements because they would have been raw otherwise. Padmé was laying lazily on his chest, the evidence of their activities leaking from both of her holes. His hand was in her hair and gently massaging her scalp. “Mhmmmm…” She hummed against him as she traced a circle on his chest.

“…Have to say…” He said suddenly, “This isn’t exactly what I pictured for the event of ever meeting a Sith.”

She grinned, laughing lightly, “I would hope not.” She turned suddenly and nipped at his skin with her teeth. He twitched and his hand lashed out, giving her a spank that made her moan. She turned a wicked grin at him, “After all, the only other Sith around are a mangled Zabrak missing his legs and two old men.”

He grimaced, “Ugh, kark it Padmé. Don’t put that image in my head.” He breathed deep as she settled, “…So how about that story now?”

“There isn’t much to tell.” Padmé sighed, “I learned everything I know from a Sith Holocron.”

His eyes widened, “On Naboo? How?!”

“My Master’s name was Darth Plagueis.” Padmé replied, “I was… an insurance policy, I suppose you could say. Master didn’t believe in the Rule of Two.”

“A Master and an Apprentice.” He murmured, knowing of it from his studies.

She nodded, “His Apprentice is Darth Sidious, who took to the Rule of Two and all of its trappings much more seriously. Sidious betrayed my Master as all Apprentices before him had, right at their moment of triumph. He wanted all the power, all for himself. Plagueis may have died a physical death, but he had always been one to explore more esoteric aspects of the Force. He was able to drain his spirit entirely into his Holocron. The same one that had been teaching me since I was a young girl.” Padmé told him. “Plagueis always thought Sidious never truly took to the idea of sharing power. He was a classic Sith. Like the Sith of old. Plagueis always wondered if the training of the Sith was responsible for that, so he took a different approach with me.”

Anakin was frowning, “I… I’m not getting the timeline here. Were you already-”

“When we met?” Padmé asked, smirking. “Yes. You have no idea how much strength it took to not gut that miserable worm Gunray.” The smirk fell away, “Plagueis kept everything traditional with Sidious. Trained him with pain and suffering. Sidious had always been a vicious creature, and he took to it like a Gungan to water, writhing in hatred and wanting to kill his Master. He found me early and wanted to see if a softer hand could yield better results. He was always a scientist, after all. He taught me to embrace my passions. To channel my anger, my pain, my hatred. But unlike Sidious, he didn’t torment me. Didn’t force me to give everything up. Didn’t force me to complete the Sacrifice.” She shuddered against him. “He wanted to see which path would yield better results.”

She sat up and mounted him. Unlike before, this was purely so she could look him in the eyes. “When Sidious killed him in his sleep like a coward, Plagueis knew. And so he taught me all the little tricks he never taught Sidious. All so that I could steal the Grand Plan out from under him.”

Anakin licked his lips, “And where do I figure in this Grand Plan of yours?”

Padmé took both of his hands and laced her fingers with his once more. “Above me.” She smirked sadistically, “Below me.” She rocked her hips, “By my side. My husband.” Her eyes glowed with a pure red light, “My love. My Emperor.”

He yanked her down, embracing and kissing her. He slipped inside her once more, gripping her tight behind almost desperately. “Where do we begin, my Empress?”

-]|[-

Years of war had passed, with Anakin becoming the Hero with No Fear. No matter what hellhole he was sent in, no matter the quagmire, he always came out of it victorious. With the Dark Side on his side now, battles which would have been utter slogs became merely difficult. As the war dragged on, he continued to learn under his new mistress.

He and Padmé needed to keep up appearances and so had gone to Geonosis to rescue Anakin’s master. Despite his new training in the Dark Side, he was still close with the man who had raised him. But Padmé was number one and therefore always his first priority. The two of them had dueled Dooku and Obi-Wan had quickly been defeated. Anakin had been in a good mental state with his and Padmé’s plans to marry as soon as possible and therefore had been able to hold Dooku back once he picked up Obi-Wan’s lightsaber to duel-wield. He channeled his passion as Padmé had taught him in the little time she’d had, but Anakin had needed to focus on cloaking the darkness within him now. Yoda’s arrival had turned the tide, and Dooku had been almost desperate as he fled.

He and Padmé had left for Naboo and had married in secret. After that, his real training in the Dark Side began, and the battlefield became his mentor. When he had been given a Padawan in Ahsoka post Knighting (Which still amused him years later), he had not taught her the Jedi way. Slowly, and with a patience that he had never known he possessed before developing his bond with Padmé, he taught his little spitfire of a Togruta how to channel her passions. How to accept the Dark.

He had almost given up the game when Obi-Wan had been killed. The need for revenge had burned within him, and with his mastery of the Dark Side, it had only been luck which had prevented him from killing his own disguised Master. The event had shattered his bond with the man, and though Anakin played at it during missions, it had never truly recovered. Anakin was a creature loyal to people and Obi-Wan had betrayed that loyalty.

When Ahsoka had been blamed for the Temple Bombing by Barriss Offee, Anakin had seen it as the perfect opportunity to fully bring Ahsoka over. He had slowly worked on the girl he had developed a close bond with over the years, and the bombing and subsequent betrayal by the Jedi Council had been all he had needed to push her over the edge. Ahsoka left the Order to “find herself” once Anakin had caught the real culprit. In actuality, she became Padmé’s second apprentice. She was family, after all.

All of it, every bit of struggle, every bit of patience and planning, had led up to this moment. “Ah, Anakin.” Palpatine smiled, “And Senator Amidala! Welcome, welcome.”

“Good evening, Chancellor.” The married couple greeted the elderly man as they walked into the office.

“What brings you here, today?” Palpatine asked with an entertained smile. Really, the old Sith had no idea how the Jedi hadn’t caught onto Padmé and Anakin’s relationship. They were all but blatant with their disgusting love for one another. Padmé had even delivered a homemade, boxed lunch for Anakin at the temple one day. Honestly, he wondered if they weren’t trying to get caught and making a game of it. It would drive him to actual, legitimate amusement for once if it was true.

“Why, to celebrate, of course!” Anakin grinned, removing a bottle from his robes. Palpatine’s grin became a bit more genuine as he took in the label of the finest Nabooan Red. He oh so loved the little pleasures in life.

“Yes.” Padmé sighed happily, “Anakin was just made a member of the council thanks to you, Chancellor.” She smiled at him warmly, “I know we haven’t always agreed these past few years, but I know we want the same thing. Soon this war will be over.”

“Oh?” Palpatine gave them a secretive smile, “Do you know something I don’t, perhaps, my lady?” He took out a trio of wine glasses and placed them on his desk.

“Well, we have to be getting close.” Padmé said reasonably, “Count Dooku is dead and Grievous is a hammer. Without Dooku masterminding their forces, it won’t be long until he falls too.”

“I see. I hope you are right, My Lady.” Palpatine smiled at her, before turning to Anakin.

“I confess that I’m a bit surprised you’re in a celebratory mood, Anakin. I thought you would feel insulted that they accepted your posting but refused to grant you the rank of Master.”

Anakin scowled at the reminder, “I would be, if you hadn’t made me the second in command of the GAR with your posting. It’ll allow me to make the moves necessary to end this war without having to bother with the Council’s orders.”

“I see.” Palpatine sighed, “I hope you are right, my friend. I worry about this Republic. This war should have already ended, and yet it always feels like it’s one step forward, two steps back. I… I fear that the Jedi are… planning something nefarious.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Anakin scoffed, “They might be fools but they’re all eager for this to be over. It’s about the one thing we still have in common.”

“I hope you are right.” Palpatine said, before smiling wearily, “Forgive me for ruining the mood. Perhaps you should pour some of this delicious wine for us.” He gestured to the glasses.

“Of course.” Padmé smiled as Anakin popped the cork and began pouring the wine. Once they all had three fingers, they took their glasses and toasted. “To peace!” She said softly.

“To peace.” Anakin and Palpatine toasted back, before they all drank.

“What are your plans for after the war, my friends?” Palpatine asked.

“Well, we’re getting a bit bored of our game with the Jedi Order.” Anakin replied, and Palpatine had to hold back an actual belly laugh at the confirmation of his silly theory. He instead drank more of the wine.

Padmé chortled, “Honestly, it’s no fun when they’re so blind. We’ve kissed right behind the Masters on occasion.”

Palpatine chuckled, “I suppose that means you’ll-” His vision crossed and something went wrong. He swayed.

“Chancellor?” Padmé sounded alarmed as she and Anakin leaned forward. “Chancellor, are you alright?”

“Oh, I’m afraid this stress is-” Palpatine stopped speaking as his connection to the Force vanished. He sagged, and when he looked up, face pale and drawn, he saw smiles.

“Yes?” Padmé was smirking at him, “The stress is what? Speak up, Chancellor.”

“Wh-what have you done to me?” Palpatine demanded, utterly shocked to have been poisoned by one of the biggest proponents of peace in the Senate and Anakin, the boy he had been grooming for years.

“Oh, just a little serum, Chancellor.” Padmé smirked at him. He reached for the panic button, “Ahp, ahp, ahp.” She raised a finger and Palpatine found he could no longer move. The Force was keeping him in place. The shock now was so great the Sith Lord couldn’t even react, “Have you ever heard of a curious little creature called a Ysalamiri?” Palpatine’s eyes bulged out, “Oh, you have! Good! Well, our Master Plagueis found out about them too, and he had some very intriguing ideas!”

“PLAGUEIS?!” Palpatine blurted out, desperate to think of some way to get out of this.

“Yes.” Padmé smirked as she and Anakin stood. “He always figured you would betray him. That you had no interest in sharing once the Grand Plan was complete. That was always your problem, Sidious. You were too greedy. Too arrogant. When you killed him, he made sure his secret apprentice learned all of his secrets. All the techniques he never trusted you with, he shared with me. He’s getting the last laugh, even after death.” She laughed at his look of complete and utter fury mixed with defeat. “All you had to do was not be a classic Sith, and we would have been powerful beyond imagining.” Padmé said, “Anakin and I share everything.” She smiled, “Even our Midichlorians. Once I taught him Master Plagueis’s Midichlorian Domination, he found a way to use it to share his Force Potential with me. I used to be far weaker than even most Jedi. Now we both are stronger than you ever were.”

He snarled, “Then why this poisoning?! Why haven’t you faced me?! COWARDS!”

“Because I could hardly risk getting injured before ascending to Supreme Chancellor.” Padmé scoffed, “Why use a hammer when a scalpel will get the job done?”

Anakin chuckled, “The serum we refined from Ysalamiri blood was one of Plagueis’s successes, you know. It blocks your body’s ability to use the Force, just as they do with their auras.”

“But you drank it too!” Palpatine blurted.

“We came prepared, obviously.” Padmé replied smugly, “The antidote is far more powerful and stays in our systems for longer. We took it hours ago.”

“You’ve been useful for the Grand Plan, my friend.” Anakin patted Palpatine on the shoulder, “But now it’s time for you to step away so my wife and I can take up our proper places.”

“You won’t get away with this!” Palpatine snarled, his façade melting away, “The-the footage of the office will-”

“Order 151.” Anakin smirked viciously. Palpatine stilled. There were only 150 contingency orders! “You made me Deputy Supreme Commander of the GAR when you appointed me to the Council. In preparation to make me fall to the Dark Side as your Apprentice.” His smirk grew, “Unfortunately for you, Padmé and I knew all about the Contingency Orders. So during a pit stop in Kamino, I made my way to Lab 99 and forced Nala Se to enter a few more more hidden orders that only the Deputy Supreme Commander could issue, before wiping the event from her memory. The clones only obey me now. Even as we speak, they’re taking care of all the Holocam footage and visitor logs.”

“No, NO! The galaxy was supposed to be MINE!” Palpatine roared out, trying to force himself out of Padmé’s hold.

“It never was.” Padmé said, “And it never will be. Plagueis sends his regards.”

“N-!” Palpatine’s final cry was cut short as Padmé snapped his neck with the Force before settling the corpse in the chair. They cleaned up the evidence and all traces of Palpatine’s real self and made themselves scarce. The two quickly vanished from the room, cloaked in the Force as they had been when they first came in.

-]|[-

The Senate was in an utter uproar when Palpatine was discovered to be dead. By all accounts, nothing untoward had happened at all that night. The footage from the security Holocams showed nothing. It was as if the Chancellor had simply died peacefully in his chair. But it quickly became clear that wasn’t the case when his neck was revealed to be broken. Their beloved Chancellor had been assassinated and not a soul knew how.

At the same time, a Jedi Master and a Padawan were both killed in battle by the clones they trusted to watch their back. Anakin had issued another contingency order to ensure that Quinlan Vos and Cal Kestis, the only members of the Order who possessed the rare ability of psychometry, died. That would have been a stupid way to be discovered.

With the protocols in place, Anakin took command of the GAR as Supreme Commander. He quickly ordered Coruscant on lockdown, ordering all clones to search for Palpatine’s assassin. Guard over all the senators was tripled as they debated over who the new Chancellor should be.

Padmé and Anakin made sure there was only one real option. “Congratulations, Chancellor Amidala.” Mace Windu bowed to her.

“Thank you, Master Windu.” Padmé inclined her head to him. “I regret that it had to happen like this.” She said somberly.

“So do I.” Mace let out a weary sigh. He had been so sure that Palpatine was either close to the Sith Lord or was the Sith Lord. With him now dead, he wondered how it was possible. “We will endeavor to ensure the same cannot happen to you.”

“I know.” Padmé said, “Supreme Commander Skywalker has assigned himself to my personal protection.” Windu’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I trust no other, Master Windu. He’s saved my life an uncountable number of times and will be with me at all times. We will send a liaison to the temple or simply comm in once we have any information to share on the war. I can only pray that it ends soon.”

Windu bowed his head, infuriated that Skywalker had just decided that on his own. Did he not have a brain between his ears? Even if it wasn’t true, the people would talk about an illicit relationship between them!

Padmé was having to hold back her laughter as the uptight ass left the room.

Months passed with Anakin using a holodroid he had created named PROXY to take up the role of Darth Sidious. At the same time that they’d killed Palpatine, they also had Gunray and his personal retinue assassinated. It burned her to leave it up to a bounty hunter, but Gunray was the only one who had an idea of what Sidious looked like. Dooku had always been the face for Sidious, relaying all orders.

With the only ones who might be able to spot the discrepancy dead, Padmé turned the war into a quagmire again, ensuring that she was able to solidify her role as Supreme Chancellor and have more emergency powers given to her. She had also used the clones and contingency orders to disappear Mas Amedda and several other senators, making them panic.

They happily gave her more and more authority for security. Bail Organa and Mon Mothma often gave her such betrayed looks in senate sessions now.

Finally, she threw the Republic a bone and gave them Grievous. The droid commander had been a thorn in their sides for years now and it was finally time to get rid of him. She got the notification that the mad droid was dead moments before Mace Windu came into the office. “My Lady, General Grievous is dead.” He told her, “Unfortunately, we lost Master Fisto and Master Mundi in the attempt.”

“Oh no!” Padmé looked shocked, “I’m so sorry to hear that, Master Windu.”

“They are one with the Force now, Chancellor.” Windu replied, “But with his death, this war can finally end. I come to ask you to give up your emergency powers.”

“End?” Padmé looked at him in surprise, “Have you forgotten, Master Windu, that my predecessor was assassinated in this very office? The Confederacy did not take credit for that.” She shook her head, “No, I’m afraid this war isn’t over. As much as I’d love it to be.” She looked exhausted, “Anakin tells me that the Jedi believed there was another Sith Lord controlling Dooku.”

Windu turned to glare at Anakin, “Oh, he did, did he?”

Anakin glared back, “Chancellor Amidala deserves to know about the risks to her person. I was unaware we were to keep it a secret when the council shared it with Chancellor Palpatine.”

Windu fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, “It is as Skywalker says.” Windu sighed, “But we have not been able to find Darth Sidious.”

“Exactly.” Padmé said matter-of-factly, “And the Separatists have begun to win victories. We’re right back in the muck, even with Grievous dead. The rest of their leaders escaped on top of it. No, I’m sorry Master Windu, but I have a cold feeling that this war is nowhere near its end. I cannot give up command yet. Soon, hopefully. But Darth Sidious must be brought to justice.”

Windu nodded with a pained expression of anger on his face before leaving the room.

-]|[-

The war stalemated completely. The GAR won victories while losing Jedi and the Confederacy won victories while only losing their droids. The Confederate Council always seemed to be able to escape the Republic forces after them and the war continued to drag on. The disappearances stopped and not a single senator had been assassinated in months. She continued her work with rooting out the corruption in the Senate, removing anyone who would oppose them. Finally, Padmé was satisfied with her position and she and Anakin decided it was time. She gave up the Separatist leaders, who were killed by clones who had secret orders to not take anyone alive.

“Chancellor Amidala.” Windu, Agen Kolar, Saesee Tiin, and Shaak Ti entered the office. “The leadership of the Confederacy are all dead. It is time for you to give up your emergency powers.”

“You killed Darth Sidious, then?” Padmé asked them.

“Darth Sidious hasn’t made a move in months.” Windu replied, “At this point we are unsure if he’s even alive.”

“Show me a body.” Padmé replied, “I cannot in good conscience give up these powers. The war is not over. We would relax thinking we have victory and then they would launch a surprise attack.”

Windu sighed in disappointment, “I truly thought you were different from your predecessor, Chancellor Amidala.” He ignited his lightsaber, as did the other Jedi Masters.

“Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?” Padmé asked as she stood from her desk.

“We are arresting you, Chancellor Amidala.” Windu glared, “You’ve taken even more power away from the Republic than Palpatine did. It has to end.” He turned to Anakin, who had yet to move, “What are you waiting for, Skywalker? Arrest her.”

“This is treason.” Padmé hissed, glaring at them. “You’re making a mistake.”

Anakin put a hand on her shoulder with a shake of his head and guided her away from the desk towards the Masters. “I’m sorry it had to come to this, Amidala.” Shaak Ti said grimly as they all extinguished their lightsabers.

Padmé sighed and looked down as they walked. “We’re not.” She said, and suddenly there was a burst of movement, a Force Scream tearing its way out of Anakin and Padmé’s throats. Within moments, Windu was the only one left alive as Anakin and Padmé shredded the other Masters.

Windu had a look of complete, unbalanced shock on his face as he blocked a swing from Anakin, “TRAITOR!” He yelled, suddenly incensed, before golden Force Lightning melted his stomach. “ARGH!” He was blasted back and landed in a heap. He was in complete and utter agony as Anakin stomped on his lightsaber and crushed the tube. “Skywalk-”

“Before you die,” Padmé said conversationally, “My husband and I would like you to know one thing.” Horrified realization dawned in Windu’s eyes as he looked at Anakin in complete betrayal. She smiled as she pierced his lung with her red lightsaber. “We killed Darth Sidious in this very office. It was Palpatine all along.” Despair filled Windu as Anakin cut off his head.

Padmé and Anakin smiled as they made their way to the GAR communicator. “Execute Order 66.” They said as one.

All around the galaxy, a wave of betrayal sent surges of the Dark Side through the Force. Anakin and Padmé basked in it, reveled in it. On Mygeeto, Coleman Kcaj was leading his troops across a long bridge when suddenly, he felt a dark presence in the Force. He turned around, surprise on his face, before desperately trying to defend himself from his own troops. He failed, blasters peppering his body even after his heart beat its last. On Felucia, Aayla’Secura didn’t even have a chance to ignite her saber as she turned around and was mercilessly gunned down. On Kashyyyk, Grand Master Yoda let his gimer stick clatter to the floor, holding his heart and head in agony as he felt so many Jedi, so many friends die in agony all at once. More and more fell. On Cato Neimoidia, Plo Koon was shot out of the sky in his Delta-7 Aethersprite. He never even had a chance to defend himself. Stass Allie was blasted out of the sky while riding a speeder with her clones.

And it wasn’t just Council Members. No, Jedi all over the battlefield were slaughtered like banthas. Thousands died in moments, betrayed by those they had never once suspected. On Coruscant, Padmé let out a sigh before kissing Anakin. “Go.” She whispered, and then he was gone, using teleportation they had learned from the Nightsisters. He appeared at the Jedi Temple as the 501st was marching up the steps. Shinies fresh from Kamino watched all of the exits around the temple and were posted at all the secret entrances Anakin knew. “No younglings.” Anakin said, “Anyone else… no quarter.”

“Yes, My Lord!” The troops called out as they walked in and immediately started blasting.

A wave of betrayal and screams erupted as Anakin ignited his lightsaber and defended Appo from a reflected blaster bolt. He dashed forward and cut off Jedi Master Luminara Unduli’s head. She tried desperately to block, but he knew how she fought. It only took two strokes with his full power finally unleashed to knock her off balance. Cries erupted from the younger Padawans, one of whom was brave enough to charge him.

A wave of black lightning blasted through the group, leaving behind nothing but smoking skeletons. The clones used their jetpacks to get into the air and up onto the walkways above. The legion stormed through the temple, killing everyone who got in their way. As ordered, they spared and collected any younglings. Any who lacked a lightsaber of their own were taken away from the temple.

Anakin continued his rampage, slaughtering Jocasta Nu, Oppo Rancisis, Ka-Moon Kholi, and Selrahc Elous. All died on his blade as he made his way to the Council Chambers. One of the younglings saw him and almost cried in relief. “Master Skywalker, there’s too many of them! What are we going to do?”

“The Jedi have betrayed the Republic.” Anakin declared, and he flinched, “They have attempted to assassinate Chancellor Amidala. The Jedi Order is dead.” All of the younglings began to cry, “But you are young. Innocent. You haven’t been poisoned by the Jedi teachings yet. You will come with me so I can get you to safety.”

The sobs turned to relief as they followed Anakin out. One of them, a young girl named Reva, was even brave enough (or frightened enough) to take his hand. He led them to the steps, “Take them.” Anakin said to the Commander who was waiting for his orders. “Get them to safety.”

“Master Skywalker?” Reva cried in fear.

“Go, little one. You have nothing to fear from them. They will get you to safety.” He patted her on the head before turning and making his way back inside.

Hours passed before Bail Organa tried to make his way to the temple. He landed on a walkway and was met with Anakin. “Knight Skywalker!” Bail cried out, “What is happening?”

Anakin glared at him, “The Jedi attempted to rebel.” He declared, “They attempted to kill Padmé!”

“No!” Bail’s eyes went wide, “That’s not possible!”

“I was there, Bail. Four Council Masters for one young woman! They ignited their lightsabers!” He spat on the ground, “It was only because of me that she managed to survive. Padmé had no choice but to declare the members of the Order traitors to the Republic.”

Bail couldn’t believe what he was hearing. There was no way that could possibly have happened! “I-please, Skywalker. There has to be something to resolve this diplomatically!”

“I’m afraid not.” Anakin said, “And you need to leave, before you get caught up in this insurrection.”

“I-” Bail nodded, “Alright.” He made his way back to his speeder and got into it, knowing he needed to contact the Jedi- any Jedi who were still alive.

Anakin sighed as he watched him rise, “Oh Bail.” He shook his head, “It’s a shame you’re such a proponent of democracy.” He said as he waited for Bail to get far away enough. And then he raised his hand. He crushed Bail’s engines with the Force and the speeder immediately screamed towards the ground, crashing and erupting in a massive fireball. Anakin drew his hood and made his way back to the temple. He could sense that no one else in here would require his presence. The clones would be able to make quick work of the rest. He took another step and almost crashed into Padmé as he appeared back at her office.

“Is it done, my love?” She asked, raising her hand to caress his cheek.

“It is.” He said back as they shared a passionate kiss. “What of Ahsoka?”

Padmé smiled at him, “Maul’s head will be quite the trophy. No surprise survivals this time.” She straightened up, “Are you ready?”

“Must we?” Anakin sighed, already dreading this.

“You know it’s necessary. I love you.” She whispered.

“And I love you.” He said. And then he smashed her in the face. She let out a cry of pain as her lip split and she staggered back before whirling at him and hammering him in the kidney. The Dark Side surged as the two Sith lovers beat the hell out of one another. And then the lightsabers got involved.

-]|[-

Above Coruscant, Mon Montha was harboring Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. She was listening to a transmission declaring that a special session of the Senate was being called. Her presence was demanded. “I’ll be there.” Mon’s heart ached as she shut off the transmission. She pressed a hand to her face. “This can’t be happening.” She whimpered, breaking down slightly.

“An opportunity, this is.” Yoda said gravely as Obi-Wan put a hand on her shoulder, “Less well defended, the Jedi Temple should be.”

“Yes.” Obi-Wan said, “We must disable the recall signal before more Jedi show up to fall into a trap.”

“I agree.” Yoda sighed, “And a little more knowledge might light our way…”

-]|[-

The Senate was ready for Padmé to begin, but to their surprise, she was sitting with a heavy gown with a hood at her center pod. When she stood, claps erupted. She waited for a moment or two, before lowering her hood. The adulation turned into screams of shock. Padmé’s face was black and blue. It was a massive mess of bruises and even cuts. She had small bacta patches all over her face. Anakin then lowered his hood and revealed how beaten he was. He even now had a scar running down across his eye, though thankfully the eye itself was undamaged. “Senators.” She said gravely as she held up a hand for silence. “I come before you to inform you of what has happened to me.” Despite the obvious pain she was in, her voice was unwavering, “Long have I suspected underlying motives during this war. It has gone on far too long. Every time we seemed close to victory, the enemy managed to slip away. It is for that reason that my predecessor, our beloved Chancellor Palpatine, was forced to extend his service years past when he should have been able to enjoy his retirement. You have granted him and later me power to end this war. Power sufficient that we should have been able to bring about a swift resolution. But it never came to pass.”

She stopped, looking down at nothing, before looking back up. “And it is because we have been betrayed. Not one day ago, our spies discovered where the Separatist leadership was located. We dispatched our loyal men and the Jedi to capture them! The war was over, I thought! Yet right as our men were engaging, FOUR Jedi Masters entered my office and ignited their lightsabers!”

You could hear a pin fall from anywhere within the assembly. “The Jedi tried to MURDER ME!” She cried out, letting some tears fall. Angry roaring erupted in the Senate Hall, and Padmé allowed it before holding her hands up for silence. “I never wanted to believe it, but it’s true! The Jedi truly have been working against us this entire time. They wanted to seize power from the Senate and take control of the galaxy! I stand before you now for one reason and one reason only: the heroics of my husband, our beloved Hero With No Fear, Anakin Skywalker!” Again an uproar erupted, but Padmé quieted it quickly this time. “He protected me with every breath in his body, taking on all four of the assassins by himself! But he had no idea that the betrayal was coming. They kept information from him. Lied to him. They didn’t trust him to do what they needed. They believed our love was a sin! And because of it, we were caught completely by surprise, and even he was unable to prevent me from suffering some injuries. But he succeeded, and I was forced to immediately declare the Jedi Order as a whole as TRAITORS TO THIS REPUBLIC!”

Cheering erupted. It was thunderous applause that rained down on them. “The Jedi Rebellion has been foiled!” She declared, “The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated.” After a moment of waiting, she said in a low voice, “The attempt on my life has left me beaten and bruised, and this betrayal has broken my heart, but I assure you: my resolve has NEVER BEEN STRONGER!”

She took a deep breath as she waited for the applause to die down, “In order to ensure the security and continuing stability... the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire!” And the most thunderous applause of all rained down on them. “For a safe and secure society.” She said, rapture filling her entire being.

And in her pod, alone as Bail had failed to show up for the session, Mon Mothma let a tear drip down her cheek. “So this is how liberty dies.” She whispered bitterly as she stared at a woman she had truly believed was a friend. “With deafening applause.”

…

As this was happening, Yoda and Obi-Wan made their way to the temple, cutting down clone after clone to be able to disable the beacon calling all Jedi back to the temple. All around them, the booming voice of Padmé echoed as the Senate’s session was broadcast out on all frequencies. Obi-Wan couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and once it was over, he ignored Yoda’s counsel and began to watch the security footage. It was all he could do to keep from sliding to his knees as he watched Anakin kill fellow Jedi after fellow Jedi. “I-I can’t watch anymore.” He shut it off, staggering. It took him a moment to recollect himself, “Wh-What can we do?”

“Defeat the Sith, we must.” Yoda sighed in sadness, “And then into exile, we must go. Accept us, the Republic no longer shall. The villains in this tale, we have become.”

Obi-Wan let out a shuddering breath. “To the Executive Building then?”

“Yes.” They exited quickly and quietly, only to run into a familiar face.

“Ahsoka!” Obi-Wan allowed the young Togruta to hug him, “Oh, I’m so glad to see you safe.”

“Master Kenobi, what has happened?” She cried out, looking panicked.

Obi-Wan scrunched up his face for a moment, “Anakin has fallen to the Dark Side.” He said hoarsely, “And Chancellor Amidala is now Empress Skywalker.”

“No.” Ahsoka looked like she wanted to cry. “No, that can’t be! Skyguy would never!” She then looked like she suffered from brain freeze, “Wait, Skywalker??? They were married?!”

“It appears so.” Obi-Wan said heavily.

“Murder Jedi inside the temple, he has.” Yoda looked at the floor.

“I can’t believe it.” Obi-Wan snarled suddenly, “How could we have missed this?! Has Amidala been Darth Sidious this entire time?!”

“No! Padmé was always- she was-” Ahsoka choked back a sob.

“Answers, we need.  Find them here, we will not. Confront them, we must. Defeat them, we shall.” Yoda declared before beginning to walk forward.

-]|[-

Padmé was sitting alone in her office when Yoda and Obi-Wan entered alone. Ahsoka was taking a different approach and hiding for a surprise attack if needed. Padmé looked relieved when she saw Obi-Wan. “P-Please help me.” She begged, choking back a sob. Yoda and Obi-Wan’s eyes widened in shock as they felt the wave of despair. “B-Before he comes back.”

“No!” Obi-Wan exclaimed, “It can’t have been him all along! That’s impossible!”

“Come, Chancellor.” Yoda raised a hand for her, “Get you to safety, we will.”

“Thank you!” Her whispered cry came as she stood and began running for them, before a pained cry erupted from her throat as she was jerked back violently.

“Going somewhere, my angel?” Anakin asked dangerously as he held his lightsaber to her throat. He had appeared out of nowhere.

“N-No! Ani! Please Ani!” Padmé begged, sobbing in his grasp. “P-Please, I’ve done everything you asked!”

Anger erupted in Yoda and Obi-Wan and both ignited their lightsabers. “Put her down!” Obi-Wan snarled at him.

“No, I don’t think I will.” Anakin said, roughly jamming the hilt against her chin and making her cry out.

“P-Please Ani!” Padmé was blubbering, “Please, our baby! T-think of our b-baby!”

Again, the Jedi’s eyes widened in shock. Obi-Wan bit his lip. “You’re pregnant?!” The two extinguished their blades. ‘Where ARE you, Ahsoka?! We need you! We can’t act so long as Anakin has Chancellor Amidala!’

Anakin chuckled lowly, totally unlike him. “You Jedi are such fools. My darling wife here played her role perfectly.” He said sadistically, “Emperor Skywalker has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

“YOU WERE THE CHOSEN ONE!” Obi-Wan roared at him, “HOW COULD YOU DO THIS, ANAKIN?! YOU WERE MEANT TO BRING BALANCE TO THE FORCE! NOT LEAVE IT IN DARKNESS!”

“Oh, it was so easy.” Anakin smirked sadistically, “You never suspected a thing, did you, master?” he asked mockingly. “Though I suppose it’s about time I stop calling you that. After all, you’ve ever taught me anything.”

“What?” Obi-Wan and Yoda were both confused.

“All these silly little clones surrounding us every day-” Anakin’s smirk was utterly depraved, “And none of you suspected that some of us might be getting replaced.” Horror and revulsion rippled in the force, “Master Sidious knew he’d never get Skywalker to Fall. But he needed Skywalker’s potential. So he created me: Darth Vader.”

“NO!” Obi-Wan and Padmé’s eyes bulged in disbelieving horror. “Where is he?!” Padmé sobbed in his grasp. “WHERE’S MY ANI?!”

“Oh, he’s long dead, angel.” Vader rumbled into her ear. He then had to hold her up as she collapsed with an agonized wail, “Oh, don’t lose your pretty little head. You barely had a month with him before we made the switch. It was just after the First Battle of Geonosis. I’ve been your darling Ani all this time.” He sneered as she burst into heart-crushing sobs.

“But our bond! How did you fake-” Obi-Wan demanded.

“Ha!” Vader laughed, “When I was fully grown, all we needed to do was capture him during a mission. I tore every bit of knowledge he had from his weak mind. Building the bonds was easy. It was even easier to make this silly schutta scream for more every time I kriffed her.”

“Let GO OF ME!” Padmé screamed as she bucked against him, before she started to choke, reaching for her neck.

“Now, now, angel. My heir is inside you. You don’t want to lose the baby, do you?” He murmured into her ear, and she broke down, sobbing limply in front of him as her hands reached for her belly. She wasn’t even showing yet.

“Damn you, Vader.” Obi-Wan hissed as they realized this entire thing wasn’t Padmé’s fault. She was now a hostage. He ignited his saber again.

“Ahp, ahp, ahp!” Vader tutted at them, “It would be a shame to have to start over with a new schutta.” He said, before the hand not holding his hilt roughly grasped Padmé’s right breast and squeezed painfully. Padmé let out a yelp as his hand went lower and gently, almost mockingly started to rub her pussy through her thin dress. She let out a groan, disgusted from his touch for the first time in her life. “But there’s plenty of royal pussy to go around. It’s a shame that skrog Maul killed Kryze. She would have been fun to break.”

Obi-Wan snarled and took a step forward, feeling fury race through him. “No, Obi-Wan!” Yoda had to hold him back with the Force. “Hurt Chancellor Amidala, we cannot.”

“That’s right.” Vader sneered at them before pushing his hilt into Padmé’s chin and making her look up at the ceiling, her chin trembling in anguish. “So here’s what you’re going to do.” He marched them away from the desk. Padmé almost stumbled as she was dragged. “You’re going to put those lightsabers on the ground and roll them to my little schutta here. If you don’t… well… let’s not find out.”

Ahsoka was their only hope, Yoda and the furious Obi-Wan knew. With a snarl on his face, the two Jedi knelt and placed their sabers on the office floor. They rolled them to Vader and Padmé. “On your knees.” Vader commanded, “And don’t try anything stupid, angel. My lightsaber is still pointed at your neck.” Sobbing in despair, Padmé knelt down and grabbed the two weapons. “Good, so you can be taught.” His lips quivered in amusement.

And then Padmé rose, all smiles, “Did I do good, daddy?” She asked, her voice low and seductive.

“What?” It was like the floor fell out from under the two Jedi.

“You know, I really didn’t think you’d fall for that.” Anakin lamented, “You cost me a bet, you know?”

“Honestly, I’m almost disappointed.” Padmé said, “I thought I’d get to have at least one epic duel on my way to the throne.” Padmé laughed as she tossed the two sabers into the air and a lightning quick slash from Anakin had the both of them in four pieces. And then Padmé was molded to his side, his hand squeezing her tight ass through her dress. “Honestly Ani, they didn’t even realize we kriffed in the elevator on the way to the Council Chambers. Really, who would believe a ten-minute malfunction in the Jedi Temple of all places actually happened? Especially when it smelled like a two-credit schutta when we were finished.”

“No.” Obi-Wan fell to his knees as despair raced through him. “WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!”

“I really have to thank you, Master Jedi. You delivered my Ani right into my lap. That protection mission after Fett’s failed assassination was the best thing you ever did for us. He was so eager. Like a little puppy. So easy to please.” She smirked viciously, “So easy to bring to my side.” She leered at them. “I didn’t even have to do anything. He already believed the Senate was useless. Already hated your Order’s silly rules. He wanted me so badly.” She gripped his cock through his pants. “And then the Tuskens killed his mother, and he slaughtered every single one of them. It was glorious. You could have prevented all of it. All you had to do was take his visions seriously.”

Tears, actual tears of despair started to leak from Obi-Wan. “And all you had to do was goad him some more in his moment of weakness.” Obi-Wan said bitterly.

Padmé laughed, “That’s where you’re wrong, Obi-Wan. You see, the Dark Side is a path to abilities you Jedi consider unnatural. Shmi Skywalker was only dead for an hour.” It felt like their hearts stopped. “I revived her and healed her wounds. She never even knew she died.”

“Impossible!” Yoda gasped.

“You underestimate our power.” Padmé smirked sadistically, “Shall I demonstrate? I can always go grab Master Ti’s body.” She seemed to come to a realization then and rubbed her chin, “Oh, but she’ll be in too many pieces to really enjoy it. Hmm, a screaming Jedi would be a bit of a gaudy decoration, wouldn’t it? Let’s shelve that idea.”

And now even Yoda was standing in anguish. “Darth Sidious you were, all along. Fools, we were.” The tired, old being said softly.

“Oh no.” Padmé laughed, “No, no, Palpatine was Sidious.”

“WHAT?!” Obi-Wan could not believe his ears. How had they missed TWO Sith Lords?

“I am Darth Umbra. The secret apprentice Sidious’s master taught when he realized Sidious was too much of a loose turbolaser. His revenge against Sidious from beyond the grave.” Padmé said sibilantly, “And I thank you, Masters, for your service.”

Obi-Wan and Yoda shared a look, before they both whirled around, ready to dash through the door Padmé and Anakin had never bothered closing behind them.

Only for Ahsoka to be standing in front of them, and she ignited her lightsabers to bar their way. Both blades were red. Both of the master Jedi were staring at her in disbelief. She tilted her head as she looked at them. “Did you really think I’d be loyal to the Order after what you did?” She asked in bemusement. Utter anguish struck the two older Jedi then.

“Did you have fun on Mandalore, Snips?” Anakin asked cheerfully.

“Sure did, Skyguy. Carving Maul up was so therapeutic.” Ahsoka grinned.

Yoda raised a hand and unleashed a monstrous Force Push at her. She was expecting it and matched it with her own. The three were flung back slightly, with an unprepared Obi-Wan crashing and rolling. Golden lightning from Padmé hit Yoda on his back, driving him to the floor. Black lightning from Anakin joined it, the two attacks merging into one, as together as the lovers who used it. And then white lightning from Ahsoka joined them, and within moments, the Grand Master of the Jedi Order for nearly a millennium was no more. Not even his bones remained to tell his tale.

Obi-Wan gathered himself to his knees. He looked brokenly at Anakin, at Padmé, at Ahsoka. “You were my brother Anakin!” His voice broke in his misery. “I loved you.”

“Do you have any idea how much I longed to hear that from you as you raised me? I loved you too, Obi-Wan. I would have had your back till the end of time.” Anakin said solemnly. “And then you broke my heart with Rako Hardeen.” Obi-Wan sagged, “You could have let me know through our bond. After the funeral, I mean. But you didn’t. I only found out after I almost killed you myself! Do you have ANY idea what that would have done to me?!”

Obi-Wan bowed his head, “I failed you, Anakin. I failed you.”

Padmé walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. “You have two choices before you, Obi-Wan.” She said, “Serve us. Renounce the Jedi Order and take your place by our side. Do this, and I will teach you how to revive Satine.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes glimmered with tears as he stared directly in front of him. “She would despise me if I did.” His jaw clenched, “I am a Jedi, like my Master before me.”

Anakin closed his eyes. “Then this is goodbye, my brother.”

“Goodbye, Obi-Wan. You were one of the few Jedi I would have preferred to keep alive.” Padmé whispered.

“Goodbye.” Obi-Wan whispered, before Padmé’s saber took his head off.

-]|[-

The formation of the Empire was surprisingly smooth. It helped that the emperor and empress were utterly beloved by the people. With the war over, reconstruction started. Anakin’s first order of business was to have the genetic degradation of the clones reversed. They had always been loyal beyond measure and deserved to have their lives.

Some deserted, of course. Many of them loved the Jedi and their generals specifically and had no love for the Empire itself. Others became leading members of the new Imperial Navy. Anakin was Supreme Commander as Padmé preferred politics to war, and Ahsoka was his second in command. There wasn’t much for them to do at first. They needed time to rebuild, to weed out the rats, to put their affairs in order.

Tarkin was one of the rats who had been loyal to Palpatine. His idiocy would have driven the Navy to ruin. Honestly, a destroyer with fighter bottlenecks everywhere and no point defense. ‘Fear’ indeed.

Unlike Sidious, Padmé and Anakin wanted to do more than just rule. They wanted to build. Both of them had Fallen because of the Republic’s many flaws. They had crafted this empire because they wanted to and knew they could do better. Sidious would have just gotten drunk on the Dark Side and committed atrocity after atrocity to fuel his addiction.

The decimated Jedi Order would have been utterly shocked to see Sith actually improving the galaxy. Yes, they built up a massive military. Yes, they ruled with an iron fist. Yes, they rounded up traitors and Jedi who had escaped Order 66 and executed them mercilessly.

But they also tamed the massive megacorps draining the galaxy of resources. They lowered taxes on struggling worlds so that they could build themselves up. They broke monopolies and encouraged economic growth. They created a true meritocracy where anyone from any planet could rise to prominence if they dedicated themselves enough.

And four years after the Empire’s formation, three years after Prince Luke and Princess Leia were born to the adoration of the people, Anakin Skywalker fulfilled his promise. Star Destroyers, Stormtroopers, and all the military hardware the Empire possessed were aimed straight at the throats of the gangsters and criminals in the Outer Rim. Anakin and Ahsoka attacked with utter fury in their quest to eradicate slavery from the galaxy.

The disgusting Hutts fought back. Activated black fleets they had hidden away. Paid every single bit of scum they could find exorbitant amounts to try to stem their wounds, but it wasn’t enough. It was nowhere near enough with Darth Vader and Darth Calamis leading their fleets. It wasn’t fast. It was another quagmire as the Hutts tried to hold the empire back. But they were victorious, and the slugs were left only their slimeball of a moon. The Trandoshans were decimated to get them to leave Kashyyyk alone, and even the grudge of the Wookiees for the destruction of the Jedi Order was slowly cooled.

And then, the galaxy rebuilt again. The Imperial Family was more popular than ever, and the rebel alliance failed to find more than just middling traction in their fight for the decaying Republic they just couldn’t let go. They found little support from the majority of systems and therefore had to rely on scum who were just angry that the empire had ruined their easy and cushy lives enslaving other sentients. The rebels did more to annihilate themselves than Anakin had to. They couldn’t even claim the moral high ground when half of their generals were former slavers.

The younglings they had taken from the Jedi were trained, not just in the Sith ways, but in the less harmful Jedi ways too. Other younglings were taken too, all across the galaxy now. Padmé enjoyed their presence and worked hard to eliminate any of the love for the Republic that remained. She raised them to be loyal to the Royal Family, not terrified. She raised them to embrace passion. Each other. There were hiccups, of course. Younglings who became jealous and fed the Dark Side too heavily. Incidents where promising recruits hurt others.

That kind of thing was stamped down with viciousness that scared the kids straight. They were all brothers and sisters (or lovers, eventually) and hurting one another was not tolerated.

Years passed, and then decades, with Padmé and Anakin doing their duty to fill the galaxy with Skywalkers. They had so many children, each of whom went on to do great things for the prosperity of their Empire.

Eventually, Padmé and Anakin realized something that would have made the Sith of old seethe in utter fury. They were bored of ruling. It was quite hysterical for them to realize that. The Sith of old had been power hungry beyond anything else. Obsessed with immortality. Traitors by heart. Drunk on the Dark Side. And that was why they had always failed. Why they had always inevitably been defeated even when victory seemed assured. After nearly a century and still looking like they were in their thirties at worst, Anakin and Padmé had it all. And they were able to just let go.

And so, Leia Skywalker was elevated to Empress as Padmé and Anakin stepped down. She had married Ahsoka’s son, who became Emperor. Their little Princess had learned at her mother’s side for decades and was just as powerful in the Force as her twin and parents. Luke took Anakin’s place as Supreme Commander, though he married one of the Force Sensitives Anakin had found as a baby. Mara Jade Skywalker was a redheaded spitfire utterly loyal to Anakin and Padmé. She joined her husband in policing the galaxy.

As for Anakin and Padmé… well, they just disappeared into the unknown, not admitting they were having a way-past-midlife crisis and craving the adventures of their youth.

-]|[-