Anakin Skywalker sat in the pilot seat of a Confederacy fast courier. The ship was a small silver lozenge consisting of hyperdrive, engines a small cargo section and even small crew quarters. It was built for transitting quickly and little else. Anakin had refitted the nav module to get to Corbinis as quickly as possible. Even so the transit took time. Time where he now had to think about what he was doing.

He had promised he would kill Parlous. He wondered how he was going to do that. He had faced the insane Sith several times during the current conflict but it had always ended inconclusively, often with Parlous taunting him that if only he let go, cease deluding himself that he was a Jedi then maybe he would triumph. Well, he was no longer a Jedi. He had killed Lance and Hect Mar. There was no going back on that. He felt he should feel more, he had fought with the two Jedi as comrades for two years. Why didn't he care? Because they had threatened Padme. He would protect her, follow any order of hers and set the Galaxy on fire for her if she so asked. He would certainly slay Parlous.

When the ship exited hyperspace above Corbinis he noticed it was different. No Republic blockade and the defence sats seemed inert, powered down. There were several of the Black Ships, but they too were quiescent, neither accelerating to intercept or launching fighters. Anakin piloted the ship down through the atmosphere towards the fortress. If the mad sorceress wanted a personal confrontation then he would damn well would give her one.

The ship landed, looking out of place among the sinister Sith vessels. Anakin got out and walked towards the fortress. Again he felt a sense, not of peace, but of belonging. It felt as if this was his fortress, as if he were returning home. Which was ridiculous his home was, where? He frowned, concentrating. Where did he live? Here? No, that was ridiculous. He had a home. A family. Padme, Keira. On, Naboo. Yes. How could he possibly forget that? Parlous. She was up to her tricks again. Anakin frowned and advanced on the fortress.

There was no challenge, no resistance to his arrival. No tricks or distractions either as he moved through the fortress. Anakin had the sense that everyone had been evacuated recently. As if he were expected. This is a trap, he thought.

'You are wrong. Before I laid traps for you. To test you. This is,' the voice in his head paused, as if searching for the right word. 'This is an ascension.'

Anakin ignored the voice and moved into the fortress and down towards the ring above the great chamber. Unlike the first time the doors opened as he approached. He found Parlous placing a black helmet atop an armour stand. The helmet had flared sides as if both deflect blows and make the wearer appear larger, taller. The face mask was reminiscent of a skull. The rest of the armour, built for a large humanoid was equally imposing.

Darth Parlous turned to regard the intruder. "Good, you have arrived. I'ld ask how was your flight but we Sith are short on pleasantries." she said.

Anakin activated his lightsabre. These taunts were getting tedious. He advanced cautiously. "I am no Sith." he snarled.

Parlous moved back through the ring. "So sure are you?" she gestured with her left hand and a large table lifted and was hurled towards Anakin. As it flew toward them she flung a blast of crackling energy with her right hand.

Anakin raised his hand and caused the table to stop mid flight while catching the other attack with his lightsabre. The heavy object shook as the two struggled to gain complete control of it. After a few seconds Anakin triumphed and let it fall with a crash.

"Nice. Very defensive. That's not what you're here for though. Attack!" said Parlous raising her hands. As she did so the ring started moving, quickly accelerating. Loose objects were sent flying and Parlous laughed as what seemed like electrical discharges from various pieces of equipment arced towards Anakin. Several struck him and he cried in pain as the blasts burned and seared him.

"Hurts doesn't it? I've always found pain to be a great motivator." said Parlous as Anakin screamed, now held aloft by the power burning him. "You have a very simple choice. Embrace your destiny and destroy me or, die."

Anakin found he could prevent further damage but as the power washed over him the already burned sections still stung and hurt. He fell to the floor and glared at Parlous. "Never." he said.

"Well, what are you going to do? Do I have time to fetch your little Warlord? Hmm, yes. Really should of captured and tortured her, but Furia had this odd notion that she would make an ally and then command you to join us. How did that work out?" said Parlous.

"Your apprentice is dead. Gawaon killed her when he found out." said Anakin as he rose and advanced.

Parlous laughed and sent more objects and blasts of purple fire at Anakin, keeping her distance.

"Well, can't say I'm surprised. Bit of a mismatch those two, but we're getting off topic. How's the wife?"

Anakin pushed through the storm, trying to reach Parlous.

"Stop just defending!" Parlous screamed. "You're not a Jedi, you never were. You're one of us." as more fittings came loose and became random projectiles. She waved her hands and a cloud of them hurtled at Anakin. "Perhaps I should turn your Warlord, see if she turns instead."

The cloud of metal objects exploded away from Anakin. Bleeding and burned he advanced on Parlous. "Never!" he screamed.

Parlous danced away laughing as she did so "Now we're talking!" she screeched.

Aboard the Confederacy fleet crews paused at the announcement.

"My fellow citizens and comrades in arms. For years I have led you and you have gladly followed. We have acted in defence our homes and our desire to remain independent. This has always been our wish. However that is not what I have lead you to do recently. This invasion of the Republic is wrong, born out of my desire for revenge. It has cost thousands of lives already and threatens billions more. I have let my pride, my vanity and my anger get the better of me. For which I am ashamed. My last order to you is to return to the Confederacy and await the orders of my successor. All ships, all ships are to retreat. You are authorised to defend yourselves but otherwise do not engage Republic forces. I thank you for your dedication and devotion which I have unfortunately abused to my own ends."

Throughout the fleet personnel sat or stared in disbelief. What had happened? What had caused such an abrupt change? Was she telling the truth? Soon however a semblance of discipline returned and the fleet began manoeuvring to head home instead of into the heart of the Republic.

Padme looked at the shocked stares around the command centre. Ignoring them she walked over to a comm station and sent a request. Soon the image of Admiral Tal on a view screen. Like everyone else he looked stunned by the news.

"First Citizen." he said.

"No longer. I am not worthy of that title anymore. Mical, you will be in command until we return or you are relieved by my replacement." Padme said.

"Certainly, may I ask why? What happened?"

"I did not serve the best interests of the Confederacy. I chose to ignore those ideals in favour of mere revenge. Our culture and civilisation needs someone who believes in them."

Admiral Tal's image looked down briefly and he muttered something under his breath. Then he looked up. "Very well. I, I shall carry out your order."

Padme then turned and left the command centre. Once outside she turned to Obi-Wan, Bail and Dala who had followed her.

"If you would excuse me, I wish to spend some time with my children." she said.

It had been one shock after another.

"Your what?" said Obi-Wan.

The ring was on fire. At least that was the appearance. As it spun a blazing storm moved through it. Two figures chasing one another. There is a frenetic energy to it all. To an outside observer, were such a thing possible it would appear that the man chases the woman, intent on her destruction. Assuming that the observer is using a traditional frame of reference or point of view. From another she chases him, drawing upon the dark energy and amassing her own power to do, what? Enough energy to propel oneself back to an earlier time, where the Galaxy was different. A mad view, insane even.

Parlous drove Vader back with each enervating shock, laughing and screaming. That was certainly the way to understand all this. From one explosive, ecstatic moment of creation to where? The source of it all, the wellspring of the Force. Oh, this body might be destroyed in some ordinary mundane sense, but that was a small price to pay to undertake the great journey. Besides, the future was in good hands. Probably, she didn't really know or care.

Anakin fought through the torrent of telekinetic missiles and actinic blasts. His body ached, he felt dizzy from shock and blood loss but he drove himself on. It would all be worth it to rid the Galaxy of this cackling manic. Anger pushed him forward, rage consumed him. He forgot everything, but his tormentor.

The chase continued.

On the bridge of the Liberator sensor operators reported on what was happening in system.

'Multiple transits detected.'

'Multiple heavies at all jump points.'

'Ships do not ID as Republic. I'm getting Ikaran, Sullustan, Bromiri and others.'

'Who are they?'

Almost in response there was an announcement.

"This is Admiral Kathin of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. We're here to stop your mad attempt to destroy Galactic Civilisation."

The mixed fleets converged on the Confederacy ships. Fighters launched and battle lines formed as they approached one another.

He sees nothing now but her, he knows nothing but her. There is nothing but pain and that mocking voice only he can hear.

'Is that all you got?' comes the taunt, followed by more pain.

'Die witch!' is all he can think. He lashes out with his rage and fury.

'Close, so close, but not enough. Is that all? Is that the depth of your rage?'

'Die!'

'Oh, I almost felt that. Come now, what would she say if you fail. So disappointed.'

There is nothing, but a scream. A scream of pure rage tapping some ancient primeval source. He feels a connection.

'Yes! Well done. Vader. Remember, we Sith seek all paths...'

Vader looks at the body held by the neck in his outstretched hand. With one swipe of his lightsabre it is over. He then almost collapses from his wounds. Staggering he spots the armour Parlous was working on. A few modifications and it will sustain him till he can get proper medical attention. He will only need it for a while. Now he must return, report to, who?

Vader tries to remember. He was sent here by, who? Never mind. His rival is dead, he will recall in time.

The battle of Atrisia is famous for several reasons. It is regarded as the victory that turned the tide and saved the Republic from the mad Warlord Amidala. It laid the foundation for the surrender and reconciliation of Confederacy and Republic. Military tacticians however study it as a textbook retreat in the face of overwhelming odds. Most of the Confederacy Fleet managed to retreat to hyperspace despite losing the main Command Ship in a desperate rearguard action resulting in all hands lost. Romantics see it as the tragic end to Amidala and Skywalker, the idealistic, if misguided First Citizen and the most famous Jedi of his generation. One of the wealthiest elite and a monk. Most tales tell how they die in an embrace as the ship explodes about them.

Those tales are wrong. Amidala survived, rescued by an old friend, whose ship broadcasting a Republic beacon survived and escaped to hyperspace. Not without loss. One of Padme's last sane memories is a bulkhead collapsing, cutting off Obi-Wan Kenobi who was carrying one of the incubators. Only one child survived, the daughter. Padme's only link to sanity was her daughter. Though scandalous, Bail took them back to his homeworld where he hoped she would recover. She never did, despairing of her dead husband, adopted daughter and unborn son. Five years later she took her own life, wandering off into a winter storm and never returning. She died lost, alone, blaming herself for all the destruction, both of the Galaxy and her life. She could of stopped at any time, any time at all.

The Galaxy had recovered. Under the brilliant and conciliatory leadership of Palpatine, the Confederacy, Republic and Alliance were reformed into a New Order. Two years after Atrisia, the many factions acclaimed him Emperor. The opposition was quickly suppressed by those wishing a return to peace and stability. Principal among the New Order's 'peacekeepers' was the enigmatic warrior Darth Vader. No one cared he was a Sith, not when he brought order and security, something those querulous Jedi had never managed.

Unknown to almost all. Obi-Wan survived. He and Dala had made it to one last escape pod. After several adventures and escapes Kenobi and a baby made it to the remote world of Tatooine. There he sought refuge with his brother. Alone in the Galaxy he made the connection, realising who Vader was. He resolved to train Anakin's son vowing not to fail a second time.

Epilogues:

Two Days after Endor

The party was still going. Luke sat before the still cooling pyre. It was over. He had done it. Darth Vader had died as Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi Knight. He realised he actually knew so little about him. Who was he? What sort of man had he been? There was a sound of someone behind him. It was an Alliance Captain.

"Hello. My name is Keira. I knew your father. Can we talk?"

Lake Varykino. Another universe.

Padme opened her eyes. What had happened? She had embraced oblivion, welcomed it and now? She was alive, floating in the lake by the shore where a universe away Anakin had let go. Righting herself she struggled to the shore. As she lay there panting, she realised what she had to do. Naboo was under control of the Hutts and the Republic coming apart at the seams. Never mind. First of all, get a ship. Then she would find him. The Greatest Starfighter Pilot in the Galaxy.