The Citadel Part 2

It's an old story. One as old as war.

The husband kisses his wife goodbye and his son. Strokes a hand over the swell of his unborn daughter and kisses her too. Walks away before he can convince himself to stay because he knows that to stay would mean a threat might get to his family.

He goes on a mission. Steps into the chambers and lets himself with his master, Padawan and the men in his unit be lowered down into the carbon freeze until he becomes nothing more than art work.

And as he flies off in a ship crewed by droids, trusting in his men and his droids to get him to the citadel.

Foolish boy

Anakin Skywalker is no longer ripe for plucking. Settled and happy. Still occasionally frustrated but he is learning to master it. Finds his strength in his family and in his love for them.

Love. Pathetic. All that hard work wasted.

But not the potential. Anakin Skywalker still will be his apprentice; he just needs a different type of nudge. He needs his family stripped away, his settled life shattered, he needs to be desperate and the way to do that is no longer by threatening his wife.

It's by taking away everything.

But for that, the chancellor will need time. Time to manipulate events free from Skywalker's interference.

It's easy really. Painfully simple yet hideously complicated to ensure that such a move doesn't backfire later.

Count Dooku is easily manipulated, much like Skywalker.

An EMT is all it takes and the ship is wiped out. Anakin Skywalker along with all those with him, is removed from the equation.

The senator waits. Her belly growing larger and the boy that ruined it all stares up at the stars more often than not. Then the Jedi finally notice and they send off another mission.

This one gets through. The hyper lane is not recovered, but they find Master Piell's body and rescue Tarkin who has enough of the co-ordinates to narrow down their search.

Of the original rescue mission, there is no sign.

The senator plays into his plans better than expected. Her anger and sorrow need a place to fall and it lands squarely on the shoulders of the Jedi. And when she departs for Naboo, resigning without listening to anyone and taking her son with her, whispers start to follow. Questions about the Jedi.

It won't be hard, he thinks. To start to edge events to make it seem like it was the Jedi keeping the war going. Dooku could return when the Jedi are cornered and start to realise what is truly going on. He can play the hero role that Sideous was saving for Skywalker.

In time, Skywalker will bend to him. After all, he thinks as he plasters a sorrowful expression on his face and waves goodbye to the senator and her son and looks into the boy's eyes, Skywalker's greatest weakness is always going to be within that boy.

AN: Next story should start in a week or so. Hope you've enjoyed :)