The Three Moons of Tatooine

Clone Wars X

"You know that it is not your fault, right?" Anakin told him. Obi-Wan looked up startled, making Anakin sigh. Of course, Obi-Wan would think that. "We've gone through this Obi. Other people's actions are not on you, only Maul can be held accountable for the Duchess' death."

"I know," Obi-Wan replied softly, looking at Anakin in gratefulness and fondness. "I hope you make it back to Curoscant soon, I do not like leaving our angel there all alone."

"Neither do I," Anakin sighed, shaking his head. "However, The Ekkereth has one last stop before going back to Curoscant. I just hope to make it back before she has to pull Naboo out of the Republic."

Obi-Wan's expression turned serious at that. "Chancellor Palpatine won't react good."

"Who wouldn't?" Anakin's smile was wry.

If only Anakin had known how bad Palpatine would have reacted. However, as he was returning to Curoscant from Mustafar their holo-pads were filled with breaking news about the Supreme Chancellor being a Sith all along.

Anakin looked in disbelief at the articles that kept popping out. After Senator Skywalker from Naboo proclaimed that her planet was leaving the Republic, Chancellor Palpatine was stripped from his position of power. That made him snap and send Force Lightning towards Padmé. Luckily, Yoda and Windu were there and worked together to keep Palpatine in line while the Senate was vacated. At the end, half a dozen Jedis died but Palpatine was killed by Yoda and Windu working together. Though, Windu ended up losing his left arm during the duel, giving Yoda the chance to strike Palpatine down, once and for all.

"Well, that was fast," Rex commented.

Anakin could not agree more. Mandalore, Rattatak, Mustafar, Mortis, and Palpatine all done in a matter of a couple of days... the Force really wanted things done.

I kinda of dragged things for longer than I should have, Anakin shrugged. Oh, well, now everything is done and we can all rest...

"All that is left to do is deal with the Separatists and Count Dooku," Echo pointed out.

... almost done.

----------------------------------------------

"So, it seems that the Separatists have agreed to our terms," Bail, the Vice Chair of the Republic commented.

Bail, Mon, Padmé, and Anakin were having a tea time meeting, while Obi-Wan was still on Mandalore with Aayla, Quinlan, and Shmi aiding Korkie get used to his new position as Mand'alor. It had taken them a few weeks before everything had calmed down to gather together to discuss everything.

Anakin had been busy reporting back to the Jedi Council about the Death Star in construction he had "found" in Mustafar, which everyone had agreed to keep a secret from the Galaxy. He had also assured them that by the end of the year all of the Sith Temples in existence will be destroyed by his "ally".

It was to no ones surprise that Anakin had been named a Jedi Master, his merits during the war had spoken for themselves. Anakin was happy to have beaten another record, by being named the youngest Jedi Master, but he had refused the position in the Jedi Counsil. He had not mention why, because he was waiting for Obi-Wan to come back to do it together, but many in the Counsil looked at him knowingly.

While Anakin had been taken out top art by his Jedi Friends and the 501st to celebrate his promotion, Padmé, Mon, and Bail were quite busy with the Senate. Yes, even Padmé, it was not easy to take a whole system out of the Republic, it took a while and a lot of paperwork. Paperwork that had been pushed back because of the whole situation with Palpatine. Even dead he made sure to make everyone's lives even more difficult.

Mon had ended up being named Chancellor of the Republic, with Bail as her second- Padmé had headed their election campaign. Their political party had decided to support Mon rather than Bail, as Bail was married to the Queen of Alderaan and they believed they would be giving the Organa family too much power. Not that Bail cared much about said power, as long as good was being done he was happy to support his good friend Mon.

With Mon and Bail in charge of the Republic they smoothed the parting of Naboo and made sure that there would be no retaliation and sent their terms to the Separatists. They've been losing the war and were more than happy to accept the terms of surrender, they will be given their freedom and a chance to get revenge on the man that had used them for years. Count Dooku.

"All that is left to take care of is Count Dooku," Padmé hummed.

Mon looked at Anakin with a raised eyebrow. "Well, him and what is going on with the Jedi Order. The Senate might have agreed with Naboo leaving and ending the war with the Separatists as we've done... but the Jedi Order splitting and one half making their home in the Freedom Rebel Alliance Space? That won't go as smooth."

"Just throw the Skywalker name and it will shut everyone up," Anakin shrugged uncaring. That was not his problem, he had left most of the political issues to the three of them for a reason. "The public won't allow for anything else and they need my mother's company to keep their economy stable. Not to mention, that right now if they want to keep their trade alive they will need the hyperspace routes of the Freedom Rebel Alliance Space, as to get to the Separatists and many Neutral Systems they are needed. Now with the war done, the Republic cannot use them for free anymore. They cannot touch the Freedom Rebel Alliance Space without grave consequences."

"Did you plan it?" Bail's question had everyone stopping. Padmé and Mon looked from one man to the other, the tension so thick that it could be cut with a knife. "The Freedom Rebel Alliance Space, the Hutts and the Zygarrians fall, the Gray Jedi Order. Did you plan all of that?"

Anakin sighed and out his tea cup down. He stared at Bail's eyes firmly as he thought of how to answer to that, without giving out too much. "I did not start the war or was in charge of deciding if we went to war or not, that has been on the plans since before of the Trade Federation Invasion on Naboo." Which was true, though Anakin could have stopped it before it had all started. Then again, that would have not worked for Anakin's plans of war against slavery. "Sometimes you need to do a lot of bad things for good outcomes... I took advantage of the war that is true. I did so quite ruthlessly. I wanted slavery to end and manipulated the Senate to do so. However, I never lied," not fully, that is. "All the evidence I gave you was real. And every choice the Senate had decided upon was not guided by the use of Force or anything else. Everyone had the free will to choose what they chose."

Anakin's answer was met with a deep silence as the three Senators thought about what the blond Jedi had just said. Padmé took Anakin's hand and smiled at him. "I believe you Ani. You've done a lot of good and you should be proud. I am. Very proud of you."

"Angel," Anakin murmured in awe at her. She had always been his strongest supporter, always willing to take all of him in, even his darkside. He then turned back to the other two senators and, being the maniac troll he was, dropped another bomb with a shit-eating smirk. "Oh, by the way, you do not have to bother about Count Dooku. Ventress took her pirate ships from Mandalore and hunted him down. She might no longer be a Sith, but the Pirate Queen wanted revenge and she got it. The Senate might be getting Count Dooku's head delivered to them soon."

There was a pause before...

"WHAT?!"

"You can't just drop something like that in that manner!"

"I did not sing up for this!"

All meanwhile, Anakin continued to drink his tea quite pleased with himself. After all, it's been quite exhausting keeping the Galaxy on track. He did a good job at the end.