Ezra fell onto an opaque platform in a dark expanse full of constellations and geometric doorways along an endless series of walkways. He turned back to see the portal close behind him, wolves dancing around the edges. He heard the voice of Obi Wan Kenobi, he heard many voices, some of whom he recognized. He began to walk for several minutes, passing empty doorways.
One had movement. A large bat-like creature with a nasty face. It sat above a doorway as Ezra approached.
"Do I know you?", asked Ezra
The Gargoyle shook and stepped along the doorway as the doorway suddenly turned a swirling red, before revealing the chancellor's quarters during the clone wars. Several jedi bodies were lying dead on the floor. Mace Windu had disarmed chancellor Palpetine. Anakin appears just in reach of the portal. Ezra listens to what ensues and realizes that this is the emperor.
Mace Windu: "He has control of the Senate and the courts. He's too dangerous to be left alive"
Supreme Chancellor: "[exhausted and disfigured] I'm too weak. Oh, don't kill me. Please!"
Anakin Skywalker: "It's not the Jedi way. He must live!"
Supreme Chancellor: "[Windu ignores Anakin, still intending to kill Palpatine] Please don't!"
Anakin Skywalker: "I need him!"
Supreme Chancellor: "[Windu ignores Anakin, still intending to kill Palpatine] Please don't!"
Anakin Skywalker: "I need him!"
Supreme Chancellor: "[Windu raises his lightsaber] Please don't!"
Ezra instinctively pulled Anakin out of the portal before he could swing his lightsaber as he yelled "No!"
The portal closed and Anakin looked around, still breathing hard. "What is this? Who are you?", he asked.
"I'm Ezra, Ezra Bridger Jedi Padawan. My master is Kanan Jarrus. I think this is the world between worlds. I came from the temple on Lothal. And that was emperor Palpetine!", Ezra explained.
"Kanan is still a padawan. Wait, emperor? You mean chancellor? I must keep him alive!", said Anakin.
"No, he becomes the Emperor! He used both sides in the war to discredit the jedi and gain power. Then he made the empire, which enslaves and oppresses the galaxy. It's what we've been fighting. This place, I think it's outside of time. For me, your time was nearly 20 years ago.", explained Ezra.
"Is that so? Then what happens next? Does Padme live?"Anakin asked, still unsure to trust.
"Padme? Ahsoka mentioned that name to Rex once. Said she was close to her master and that they both passed during the purge. Oh, Palpatine used order 66 to have the clones execute all the jedi via the implants in their brains, making them obedient.", explained Ezra.
"That's ridiculous! The Chancellor would never… wait, 5's! This must be what he meant. So… the Chancellor was just using me this whole time? Having Dooku make the jedi look bad by choosing the battles. Whispering the darkness into my ear. That bastard!", yelled Anakin.
As he fumed, Ezra heard Kanans voice in the distance. He began to walk, run towards it. "Kanan!", he called out.
"Wait!", Anakin commanded, but Ezra didn't listen and Anakin ran after him.
They reached another portal, glowing. Inside Kanan was holding back a huge flame, about to sacrifice himself to save his friends.
"No! We have to save him! Hes going to push us away and burn!", said Ezra.
"Very well, I'll hold the flame as he pushes, and then you pull him out.", Anakin decided.
Using the force and his newfound rage for the chancellor, Anakin held back the flame as the ghost ship was pushed away from the fireball. Ezra then pulled his master out of time and I to the world between worlds. The portal closed as the flames rushed forward.
"Ezra? Anakin Skywalker?", asked Kanan, confused beyond belief.
"Kanan, this is the world between worlds! Time is different here. These doorways…", explained Ezra.
"They lead to points in time.", Kanan finished his sentence.
"Ezra, I thank you. I must return to my own time, and you should do the same.", Anakin said before heading back to his portal.
"Ezra this shouldn't have happened. Who knows what you've caused.", scolded Kanan.
"Should I have watched you die again? Should I have watched the emperor rise to power? This can only cause good things.", argued Ezra.
"Well it's done. Let's head back to where you came in and see what world awaits us", said Kanan.
After a long walk the two made it back to the portal with the wolves surrounding its edges. It began to swirl blue as it opened, and the pair stepped through. They entered the battlefield Ezra had left behind, with his friends staring at them as blaster bolts flew by.
"Kanan?!", asked Hera.
"No time to explain! We have to seal the portal!", said Ezra.
. . .
The rebels' show proceeds nearly identical to the original, and after Ezra saves the day with the Purgils, the ghost crew tries to travel via hyperspace to help the rebellion. However, an unknown hyperspace Anomaly hits the ship and it's thrown off course.
"Hang on!", said Hera as the ship shook violently.
. . .
Anakin watches through his portal as master Windu and other jedi gather evidence and clean up the bodies. He was eerily optimistic, after all, the future had just been changed, and Palpatine had never really been his friend had he? Anakin was looking back now and seeing all the lies, but he also saw the errors of the current jedi order. With the war ending, was this where he belonged? Could he save Padme? Was she even really in danger? With a heavy heart and sigh, Anakin Knew the only way to get answers was to return through the portal, and so he did.
. . .
"I suppose this was to be expected. What happened, Skywalker?" Master Mace Windu said after a moment of shock as Anakin suddenly reappeared.
"Master, I must apologize and confess. I was pulled into the world between worlds by someone claiming to be the padawan of Kanan Jerrus. Not only that, he claimed nearly 2 decades had passed since this moment, and that I was deceived.", explained Anakin.
"Deceived?", asked Mace.
"The chancellor has been manipulating me all this time, and the whole war, to make the jedi look bad. So he could wipe them out with order 66. A clone order they will follow due to chips in their brains! Wait, that means the Kaminoans must know…", Anakin explained.
"I see. We'll have to get the clone chips removed. As for the Kaminoans…What did you need the chancellor for Anakin? You said you needed him." , asked Mace.
"I've been having terrible dreams of the death of… Padme Amedala. Like the dreams of my mother years ago. The chancellor claimed he could save her with the dark side. I see now he was just trying to push me into the darkness.", said Anakin.
"Why Padme?", asked Mace.
"She is… my wife. And she is with child.", said Anakin, finding pride.
"Skywalker, this is forbidden," said Mace.
"I know. I also know that the Jedi order has lost its way. I intend to find the right way. I will go to Lothal to ensure the portal there is closed. And I will meditate.", said Anakin.
"Anakin, you need someone to keep you stable right now. Can I trust you to wait for Obi-Wan to return to accompany you? He just reported the defeat and death of general Grievous and is on his way back here. Knowing about this order 66, I'll send out a message for all jedi to return.", said Mace.
"Yes, I will wait for Obi-Wan. If you'll excuse me, master, I'm going to see my wife.", Anakin said before leaving.
. . .
Coruscant, Padmé's Apartment.
Padmé Amidala sat by the window of her apartment, staring at the cityscape, her mind troubled. The war was ending, and yet she felt no relief, only a growing sense of dread. The Senate was in chaos after Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's emergency powers were revoked, and rumors swirled that the Jedi were preparing a coup.
Then, the door slid open. "Padmé." Anakin stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable.
She ran to him, relief washing over her, "Anakin! I heard about the Chancellor and there were rumors that you…" She paused, noticing the haunted look in his eyes. "Are you alright?"
Anakin gently placed a hand on her cheek, brushing a loose strand of hair away. "I am now."
Padmé frowned. "What's happened?"
Anakin exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Everything has changed. I have changed." He hesitated. "Order 66. Palpatine planned to wipe out the Jedi, to make himself emperor. He's the sith lord we've been looking for. He's been using me, manipulating all of us, this whole war."
Padmé's eyes widened. "You mean… the Jedi weren't trying to overthrow the Republic?"
"No. Palpatine was playing both sides. And I almost…" Anakin's voice faltered, the weight of his near-fall to darkness pressing on him.
Padmé took his hands. "But you didn't."
He nodded. "Because someone stopped me, someone from the future. Well, it was the future."
Padmé looked at him in disbelief. "The future?"
"I know how insane that sounds, but it's true. And because of that… I see everything differently now." His eyes softened. "I was so afraid of losing you, I let myself be controlled by fear. But not anymore. I'm now sure fate can be changed."
Padmé placed a hand on her stomach. "And the dreams?"
"I don't know if they were a vision of the future or a trick from Palpatine. But I won't let fear decide my actions. The future is within our control." He tightened his grip on her hands. "I love you, Padmé. I always have. But… the Jedi won't accept this. And I don't know if I belong there anymore. I'm thinking, we may have to start another temple, there's too much rigidity here."
Padmé smiled. When do we start?"
"I'm sure you'll be extremely busy in the senate.", Anakin exhaled. "I need to go to Lothal. There's a portal there that could be dangerous if anyone else finds it."
"Then I'm coming with you," Padmé said firmly.
"Padmé—"
"No, Anakin." She looked him in the eye. "People may need me here, but my husband's needs come first. The Senate is in chaos, but I can speak to them through a holo tape. I need to be with you."
Anakin hesitated but then nodded, a smile was too hard for him to hide. "Alright. We'll leave soon. But first, I have to meet with Obi-Wan."
. . .
Aboard a Venator-class Star Destroyer, Orbiting Coruscant.
Obi-Wan Kenobi stood in the war room, arms crossed, listening to Admiral Yularen's report. "With the war ending, many of the fleets are standing down. The clones are still awaiting orders."
Yularen sighed. "Frankly, General Kenobi, we're lucky the Chancellor's plot was exposed when it was. I couldn't believe it until I saw the chips with my own eyes in the med bay, and the footage of what was found in his secret… lair. If Order 66 had gone through, the Jedi would have been wiped out in a single stroke."
Obi-Wan nodded grimly. "We came close to losing everything we've been fighting for. Mace Windu has called for a mass recall. We need to act quickly before any remnants of Palpatine's influence can resurface."
The door hissed open, and Anakin walked in.
Obi-Wan turned, relief washing over his face. "Anakin."
Anakin nodded. "Master." There was a pause before a small smirk crossed his face. "You've gone gray."
Obi-Wan exhaled sharply. "You've been missing for a day, and this is what you lead with?"
Yularen chuckled. "Good to see you again, Skywalker."
Anakin's expression darkened. "There's a lot to discuss. But first—I need ships."
Obi-Wan frowned. "For what purpose?"
"There's a portal on Lothal. It's where I was taken no, pulled into the future. If that knowledge ever fell into the wrong hands…" He trailed off.
Obi-Wan studied his face. "The future?"
"The future? Anakin, that's hard for even me to believe. But if what you say is even remotely true, and after what I've seen today…I'll authorize the deployment," Yularen said. "If there's even a chance this could be exploited, we need to take it seriously."
Anakin looked at Obi-Wan. "I also want Padmé to come, and not just her. I need to make sure Ahsoka is safe, her ship was recalled back to Coruscant as well, after capturing maul."
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "That's… unexpected. You and Padme…"
"I'm not hiding anymore. From the Jedi, from my fears, from anything. She's coming."
Obi-Wan sighed, rubbing his temples. "I have so many things I want to say to you, Anakin, and I suspect we don't have time for any of them."
Anakin smirked. "I'd be disappointed if you didn't."
Obi-Wan chuckled. "Alright, then. Let's go. I'd like to bring our fighters since we have to wait, and to start our… conversation."
Anakin's smile sharpened, "You make it sound like a bad thing.
. . .
Gathering their Jedi Starfighters Obi-Wan questioned Anakin, probing him. Trying to uncover just what had changed his friend.
"Starting your own temple? I must admit Anakin, given the prophecy, and this war… perhaps that wouldn't be a bad thing." said Obi Wan. "The galaxy is changing, perhaps the Jedi need to evolve.", he thought.
"So I take it, you'll be my first padawan?" joked Anakin.
"Perhaps just the idea of it has already gotten you drunk with power.", Obi-Wan said half jokingly, waiting for his friend's response.
"No, not with my friends and family by my side. I have to be better. I'll have to always be alert of the darkness within me. Will you help me, master?", asked Anakin.
Obi-Wan was surprised with Anakin's growth. He couldn't help but be proud to call him a friend. "Always Anakin, always. Ah R-2, have you and R-5 prepped the fighters?" asked Obi-Wan.
Beepoobbeethreeaaa R-2 spoke in Droid. Anakin nodded understandingly.
"What did he say?" ,asked Obi-Wan.
"He said you've gone grey." laughed Anakin.
"I see, you're thinking about your own age due to the pregnancy.", Obi-Wan jested.
"Hey!-", Anakin was cut off by his wrist beeping. A hologram of Ahsoka and Rex came through.
"Heard you needed me Sky-Guy. And I heard about the Chancellor, I'm so sorry Anakin.", said Ahsoka.
"It's water under the bridge," said Anakin.
Obi-Wan put his hand to his face and sighed. "He's had some growth actually, though you wouldn't know it from looking at him."
"Hey-", said Anakin.
"Should we transfer the prisoner?", asked Rex.
Maul, someone Obi-Wan hoped to never see again. Someone he worried would drag him into the darkness. Fate seemed to have other plans. He hesitated.
"We need to question him ourselves. Find out what else Palpatine was responsible for.", said Anakin.
"Understood General, the prisoner is already ready for questioning," said Rex.
"Well there's no use staying here.", Obi-Wan found his voice, knowing he would need to face this now.
"Well fly up to your ship in our fighters, Padme will also be joining us on her ship.", said Anakin.
"Padme?", questioned Ahsoka.
"Perhaps we'll have our own questions to answer before we get going?", said Obi-Wan.
Anakin sighed, "I'll explain on the ship. R-2 let's get ready to fly."
. . .
Aboard Ahsoka's Venator-class Star Destroyer, Orbiting Coruscant
"So you got married? And I wasn't invited?", asked Ahsoka with a laugh.
"He didn't seem to think of any of us.", joked Obi-Wan.
"If I invited everyone it wouldn't have been a secret!", said Anakin.
"I for one would have kept silent as a womp-rat General," joked Rex.
"After Mandalore, and hearing about your new temple idea, we'll, I'm glad I took your call Sky-Guy. So, what's on Lothal?" Asked Ahsoka.
Anakin was about to explain as Yularen came through on a hologram at the center of the command room. "Generals, I'm out of excuses on why we're still in orbit instead of dry-dock. If we're going to leave it needs to be quick."
"Understood Admiral, Rex, has Padme's ship arrived?", asked Anakin.
"Sir, the bridge is reporting her arrival and we're ready to jump in formation with the fleet," Rex answered.
"We're ready when you are Admiral," said Ahsoka.
"Then we'll initiate the jump." The Admiral gave the order and the ship's crew moved back a large lever as the stars melted into a white swirl around the ship and they entered hyperspace.
"Well things are going smoothly so far.", said Anakin.
Suddenly the lights went red and blaring sirens went off. "Sir!", a clone reported to them, "The whole fleets been caught in some kind of Anomaly! We've spiraled off course!"
"You just had to say something.", sighed Obi-Wan.
"Hey! This wasn't my-" Anakin was cut off by another clone coming from a monitor, "Hang on to something!"
Anakin didn't get to finish as he was thrown into the wall and the world cut to black.