The Dantooine base was quickly constructed. The planets that had joined the rebellion were protected by their armed forces, which, having broken away from the Republic, were free to act in defense of their planets. The war still had three fronts: Dooku would continue to deceive the Separatists, Palpatine controlled the Republic, and Padmé led the rebellion. They knew that Palpatine would soon create the Galactic Empire, but now they had a way to fight him.
"Numerous calls from the Separatists are coming in, Lady Skywalker," an admiral said.
"Report that any ally will be welcomed into our cause," Padmé said happily. She knew that by making this public, they would even gain allies from the Separatists.
"Shall we hand over our coordinates?"
"We're receiving numerous calls from the Separatists."
"We'll hand over our coordinates."
"We'll receive them." "No, tell them they'll first need to prove they're our allies," Padmé said.
Several separatists had joined them, their numbers growing steadily. If they continued like this, they could have the strength to crush the Empire.
A call on an unknown frequency alerted Padmé. She knew who it was; after so long, she knew they would contact her. Padmé stepped aside; Satine should answer that call.
"Duchess," said a voice Obi-Wan Kenobi hated, "Senator Skywalker." She laughed, observing Padmé. "Incredible performance, truly admirable."
"Did you consider our proposal?" Satine asked curtly.
"I would never join any one side, but you should be careful with Force-sensitive children," Maul said, ending the call.
Satine cursed, and Padmé knew what it meant: Sidious's plan was underway again.
"Will you trust him?" Anakin asked.
"We can't risk innocent children. We must protect them," Padmé said, and Satine nodded.
"If the Jedi are wanted, then so will all Force-sensitive people," Obi-Wan said.
"Rex, Cody," Anakin called. "Did you hear about the new mission, guys?"
"Rescue children," Rex said. "Understood, General Skywalker."
"I'll join you as soon as I can," Anakin said, and Rex nodded, hanging up.
"Master, perhaps I should join them now," Ahsoka said.
"I need you here for now, know-it-all," Anakin said, and Ahsoka nodded.
Han had left for Nal Hutta. If anyone knew how to deal with smugglers, it was him. He would get weapons, good weapons with which they could gain an advantage. Leia had been sad, but she accepted Han's adventurous spirit. That was who he was, and that's how she loved him. Besides, they were all fighting for a common goal. Leia realized they didn't have much time left. Her mother's belly was growing larger, which meant they had at most four months to end the Empire.
Days later, everyone watched in complete silence as Darth Sidious appeared on the HoloNews, speaking. The Galactic Empire had begun.
"Now our real fight begins," Luke said, looking at Leia.
"We stopped Dad from turning to the dark side. We will destroy the Empire," Leia smiled, squeezing Luke's hand.
Duchess Satine had left for Mandalore with Obi-Wan and his squadron. But that same afternoon, Obi-Wan returned to Dantooine in a rather deplorable state.
"Obi-Wan!" Mara cried, running toward him with Master Mace Windu.
"What happened, Obi-Wan?" Windu asked.
"They took her. The Empire has her," Obi-Wan said, collapsing to the floor.
"They took her." When they tried to go back and ask Obi-Wan what had happened, he found he had taken a ship and left in search of Satine, without saying a word.
"We must go after her," Padmé said desperately as soon as she learned that her friend had been kidnapped by the Empire.
"The Emperor wants to pressure us," Mon Mothma said. "But we can't sacrifice our members."
"It wasn't the Emperor," Anakin said when he heard the news.
"What are you saying, Ani?" Padmé asked, confused.
"It was Dooku," Anakin said confidently.
"Why do you think it was Dooku?" Mace Windu asked just as Master Yoda appeared.
"Indeed, young Skywalker is," Yoda said, analyzing the situation.
"Dooku works with Palpatine, isn't that the same thing?" Padmé asked, visibly confused.
"The message you delivered in the Senate was to try to stop the war against the Separatists. Many of them allied themselves with us," Anakin said. "Perhaps Dooku is no longer interested in being Palpatine's ally and seeks to overthrow him."
"You're right again, Skywalker," Yoda said. "Dooku seeks an ally."
"Satine?" Padmé asked.
"No, my master," Anakin said, and Padmé understood.
"He's trying to lure him to the dark side," Mara said, and Anakin nodded.
"Obi-Wan will never fall to the dark side," Mace Windu said, but Anakin wasn't so sure. He'd seen him almost lose control once, when he saw Satine suffer. His own master had told him how anger had consumed him when Qui-Gon was killed. Now Satine was pregnant; there was a chance that this would push him even further to the edge.
"We'll go after him and the Duchess," Anakin said, and Ahsoka nodded.
"I'll go with you," Mara said.
"We'll go with you," Luke and Leia said.
"No, you must stay," Anakin said.
"But Dad, we have to do this together," Luke insisted.
"We have to do this together."
"We have to do this together."
"We have to do this together."
"We'll go with you," Luke and Leia said.
"No, you must stay here," Anakin said.
"But Dad, we have to do this together," Luke insisted.
"We have to do this together."
"We'll go with you." ... "You must listen to your father," Master Yoda said. "You will come with me."
"Where will we go?" Leia asked.
"To the Dagobah system," Master Yoda said.
"Do you want to go back to Dagobah?" Luke asked.
"I have never been to Dagobah, not yet," Yoda said, and Luke remembered that Dagobah was where he had found Yoda, but he hadn't been there yet. "It is important that we go," Yoda said, and Luke looked at him doubtfully.
"Listen to Master Yoda, Luke," Anakin said. "We'll be all right," he said, looking at Ahsoka and Mara.
"Okay," Luke agreed, and Leia nodded.
Anakin said goodbye to Padmé with a kiss. Padmé knew she couldn't accompany him this time; she was now leading the Rebellion and had to remain on Dantooine.
The ship Obi-Wan had taken was following the coordinates toward Geonosis. Anakin detested Geonosis; it was the place where he had lost his arm. He didn't want to fight Dooku again, but he would do it for his master.
"Master, do you think the Duchess is alright?" Ahsoka asked, piloting alongside him.
"She has to be," Anakin said, fearing the worst.
"Has anyone considered whether we'll be able to defeat Dooku?" Mara asked, and the entire ship fell silent. They had to; there was no other option, Anakin thought.
It was a long two-day journey, avoiding Imperial territories.
Yoda, Leia, and Luke had arrived at Dagobah, and Luke could swear it was very different from what he remembered.
"Master Yoda, what are we looking for?" Leia asked after walking for miles.
"Answers, young Skywalker," Master Yoda said. "Through the Force, I have managed to communicate with Qui-Gon."
"Obi-Wan's former master?" Luke asked. "I was able to communicate with him on Mortis," he recalled.
"That is why I have brought you with me," Master Yoda replied.
A fierce storm separated them, and Yoda told them to remain calm, that this would be a test.
Yoda's test consisted of confronting his own dark side, the one he was unaware he possessed. After a long battle, he managed to overcome it and accept it, but not let it control him.
Luke and Leia's test, however, was much more difficult. They were in complete darkness, searching for a way out, when suddenly, a man they didn't recognize appeared before them. He was tall with long black hair that stopped just below his shoulders. He was dressed entirely in black and looked at them seriously.
"Who are you?" Luke asked defensively.
"Why did you betray me, Master?" he asked. Luke was stunned; it was the same voice that had spoken to him on Mortis.
"Why did you let me kill him?" he asked, looking at Leia.
"Kill? Who?" Leia said, feeling a pang in her heart as the man looked at her sadly. She felt she knew him; there was something familiar about his face, but she had never seen him before.
"Who are you?" Luke asked again, trying to catch up.
They walked what seemed like hours, never reaching him. Voices swirled around them, familiar voices.
"Take off that mask. You don't need it," Leia heard. It was Han's voice, but it sounded much more mature. Who was he talking to?
"What do you hope to see if I do?" "Who is my son?" asked a deep voice, very similar to the voice of the man who had spoken earlier.
"The face of my son," replied Han's voice. Luke and Leia froze. What? They could barely hear what was being said.
"Your son is gone. He was foolish and weak, just like his father, so I destroyed him," said the voice, and then complete silence.
They continued walking, trying to catch up with the man who was walking ahead of them.
"Wait, please. Who are you?" Leia pleaded.
Then a series of images appeared. Again, Han had white hair and was much older. He was next to the man they were following.
"I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the courage to do it," the man said. Was he looking at Han sadly? "Can you help me?"
"Yes, anything," Han replied, moving toward him.
"Thank you," the man whispered as a crimson lightsaber pierced Han's chest.
"No!" Leia screamed, staring in horror at the image before her. "Han!" she screamed as she saw him fall into an endless void.
Luke, on the other hand, felt pain and anger, and tried to reach the man again. This time, the man stopped, drawing his lightsaber. Luke knew it was just an image in his mind, a test, but anger flooded him, and he wanted to face the man who had killed Han in that image.
They clashed in a short duel; the man was toying with him.
"You have failed again, Master," said the young man's voice, touching Luke's forehead in a moment of carelessness.
Then Luke saw a boy, talented, but with darkness in his heart. Time sped forward, and he saw himself; he was much older than he was now. He felt his own darkness when, in the middle of the night, he had tried to kill the young man he had recently faced.
"You have failed again. The darkness will consume you. The darkness will be your undoing. I will always remember," said the man, then vanished just as Leia, not knowing why, tried to reach him.
Luke embraced Leia, and then the darkness disappeared, revealing Master Yoda meditating in complete calm.
"Master Yoda," said Luke, moving toward him.
"You have failed, young Skywalker," said Master Yoda. "Yet I have succeeded."
Lights enveloped them—a message.
"There will be another Skywalker," said the voice, and Yoda sighed.
"What did you mean by that, Master Yoda?"
"In time, you will know," Yoda said, returning to the ship with the twins.
Anakin, Ahsoka, and Mara had arrived at Geonosis. They found Obi-Wan's ship, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"I can sense his presence," Anakin said, walking.
"I can sense it too," Ahsoka said. "But Master, something is wrong with him."
"Can you sense it too, Mara?" Anakin asked.
"It's the dark side," Mara said, and Anakin nodded.
"We must be prepared. My master may no longer be the one we know," Anakin said, gripping his lightsaber.