Kamino

19 BBY

The Kaminoans were an elusive species from an aquatic world beyond the outer rim territories who were known only for their advanced cloning technologies. Standing tall and graceful, these aliens had the skills and expertise that had proven to be quite handy to the Republic and to others as well. They serviced anyone who could pay and kept quiet about certain aspects of their work as well as the people who hired them.

They had kept quiet about the secret order placed into the clones programming, not telling the Republic of their own Chancellor's ill deeds.

Indeed the Kaminoans had serviced him well in the past, and they would still service him in the future.

Darth Sidious, known to many as the beloved and wise Chancellor of the Republic smiled as he made his way down the ramp of his ship and into the pouring Kamino rain to meet up with the tall and slender individual who was waiting for his arrival.

"Chancellor," she said in greeting, "we have been expecting you."

"I've been told that he is ready?" he asked as they both walked into the building to take shelter from the pouring rains.

"The clone that you asked to be created is indeed ready."

"Good good," he said smiling to himself, "when may I see him?"

"You may see him soon, but first Taun We wished to speak with you."

"Very well," he said annoyed at the delay, "take me to her."

He followed the woman down the white, sterile hallways until they reached what he presumed was Taun We's office.

"Chancellor Palpatine has arrived from Coruscant your excellency," she said as they approached the administrative aide of Lama Su, the Prime Minister of Kamino.

"Greetings Chancellor," she said standing up and approaching him, "we were not expecting you so soon."

"I was given word that the clone was ready?" he asked growing ever impatient. He had waited long enough for the clone to be made and he didn't want to wait another moment.

"Indeed he is," she said observing his impatient face, "would you like to see him?"

"Yes, if I may."

"Very well," she said leading him out of her office and further into the elaborately built lab that they had set up for the building of the clone armies.

"We were able to extract the DNA from the severed arm you gave us and from there we created an exact replica of the host's genetic makeup," she said as they passed the observatories to the growing clones in the makeshift wombs, "once it was born we accelerated his growth till he matured to the specified age. We have met most the requirements that you have given us, although I am sorry we were not able to recreate them all."

"What do you mean?" asked Palpatine as they stopped in front of a closed door.

"The original host was a force sensitive was he not?" she asked as she entered in a code to the panel on the side of the door, allowing him to enter first.

"Yes, and quite a powerful one at that," said Palpatine as his eyes landed on the man on the bio-bed.

"The thing with force sensitives is," said Taun We as she followed him over the bed where the clone was laying in slumber, "is that we cannot fully replicate the number of midichlorians of the original host."

Palpatine barely heard her as he observed the sleeping figure on the bed. He smiled as he observed the man who looked exactly like Anakin Skywalker and felt giddiness at the prospect of it all.

He knew when he had brought the severed arm of Anakin Skywalker to the Kaminoans and asked them to make a clone from it that it would not be as powerful as the boy himself. But he would still be more powerful than most and that was enough for him if his original plan failed.

Palpatine had thought about the prospect of Anakin not turning to the Dark Side and while he hoped he would be able to persuade the Jedi, he could not solely rely on him. While Anakin was deeply rooted in the light, he did have a darkness that he hoped he would be able to bring forth and overpower the light. But he could be certain of nothing and he had the have a plan if his original one didn't work out.

"It matters not," he said as he traced his finger down the smooth expanse of his face, "I can already sense that he is more powerful than most Jedi are."

He noticed that while he looked exactly like Anakin, there were several differences between the two. Anakin had a scar over his right eye courtesy of Ventress and he had lost his right arm in his duel with Dooku on Geonosis a few years ago. But those would be easily replicated if he ever saw use of him.

Once the little differences were corrected, no one would be ever to tell the difference between the two. But there was still something else that would need to be done if everyone was to believe that he was Anakin Skywalker, he would need the memories of the Jedi.

But that would be easy enough once he had Skywalker within his grasp, and once that was done he could perform a memory transfer and then he would be unstoppable.

But he was unwilling to truly do away with the original Skywalker since there was still so much potential that maybe one day he could harness for himself. So he decided that he would freeze the young man in a carbonite so he could use him at a later time if need be.

"Are you pleased Chancellor?" asked Taun We pulling him away from his thoughts, her large slanted eyes curious as she held his gaze.

"Yes, very much so," he said cackling with maniacal laughter.

Although the man before him was not Anakin Skywalker, he would for all intents and purposes become him if his original counterpart did not. No one would ever know the truth and after the appropriate changes were made no one would ever be able to tell the difference.

He snickered with glee at the thought of the Jedi falling and the Sith rising to take their rightful place in the galaxy, and of course, none of it would be possible if it were not for Anakin Skywalker or his clone.

The Clone Wars were soon to come to an end, and Palpatine was more than ready to make his grand appearance. He would topple the Republic and out of his its ashes he would bring forth an Empire foraged out of darkness and power, and nobody would ever see it coming.

The Republic would soon be ashes beneath his feet.