Star Wars: The Dark Times

“For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire.”

– Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Before the Empire, the Republic was engulfed in the fires of the Clone Wars; before the exiles and outcasts, the famed Jedi Order faced strife from within; before Darth Vader, a single Jedi faced the trials of his time.  

Hey guys. Recently, I've been coming up with different PT rewrites and there are too many of them to work on at once, so I've decided to combine them. 

This PT rewrite is to be told in one story, spread across 6-7 years in three parts. It begins from the final months of the Clone Wars to the end of the Jedi of the Jedi. Anakin will be the main character and you'll see more of his fall to the Dark Side. 

Much of the elements come from one rewrite, The Dark Times (which I took the name from), my "Dying Torch" idea, the Bantam Era books, TCW, and others. Also, the story is much more of an AU of the current legends continuity that took place prior to the actual PT. You might see why later on.

BTW, here's the opening crawl. Please let me know what you think. Thank you.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

It is period of strife for the galaxy. Fifteen years ago, Master Dooku deserted the Republic after the massacre of the True Mandalorians, taking with him a number of Jedi and lending their service to criminal groups and corrupt worlds. 

They lent their services to the multiple criminal organizations and corrupt worlds, each one seeking to extend their control with clone soldiers. The Republic soon formed its own army to bring an end to the threat of these ‘Clone Masters,’ gaining support from a divided Jedi Order.

For ten years, the Clone Wars were battled on the outlying systems while the Core Worlds watched with fear. Now, the Republic seeks to push their foes back, unleashing attacks on their cloning facilities while the Jedi capture their former comrades…

Hey guys. Here's some character info and a timeline for my story. Please let me know what you think. Thank you.

Main Cast:

Anakin Skywalker - son of the Jedi Master Qui-Gon, training under Obi-Wan in the Clone Wars. He knows little of his father as Qui-Gon left him after his birth to help the Republic. He's the main character, as we see his fall to the Dark Side. Studying under Obi-Wan, he learns of combat and battle tactics to be employed on the field of battle.

Vader - A being cloned from the corpse of Xanatos, the founder of the Clone Masters and ex-pupil of Qui-Gon. He was made to fight for the Republic, but he's found by Obi-Wan and taken in as his student. He's sometimes at odds with Anakin, and he has a strange relationship with the Jedi Council, who ordered him to hide his identity as a clone from anyone. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi - After being abandoned by Qui-Gon, he becomes the student of the former Grandmaster, Yoda. During the Clone Wars, he trains Anakin after discovering him on Galidraan, and soon discovers and trains Vader. Being trained more by Yoda, he's more insightful and a little calculating of battles while rushing to help people. 

Padme Amidala - a noble of Naboo, a planet that seceded from the Republic. Though her planet is independent, she's a secret spy for Bail Organa and shares a secret friendship with Anakin that grows into their marriage.

Cody - a clone of Jango Fett in the Republic army. He serves more as the Chewie of the group, but provides insight on the roles of clones in the Republic.

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44 BBY – After the massacre of the True Mandalorians on Galidraan, Dooku learns the massacre had been a deception. He leaves the Jedi Order and becomes the count of his homeworld, Serenno. Many other Jedi follow suit, many of them once part of Dooku’s strike team on Galidraan. Among the Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn goes into self-exile, which takes him to meeting Shmi Skywalker on Tatooine. The two fall in love and marry. Later in the year, the two would have a son named Anakin.

In light of the many deserters, Yoda steps down from the council and trains a master-less Obi-Wan.

42 BBY – Many of the Jedi deserters have spread across the Outer Rim. Some have fallen and taken control of crime organizations while others have sided with independent planets. Fear of these rogue Jedi forces Outer Rim worlds to turn to cloners for soldiers.

            Qui-Gon leaves his wife and returns to the Jedi to deal with this.

41 BBY – The fallen Jedi and Qui-Gon’s ex-pupil, Xanatos, gathers many cloners and forms the Clone Masters. Many of the fallen Jedi join Xanatos, and fear of the Jedi grows both in and out of the Republic. 

37 BBY – The Outbound Flight is sent out to the Unknown Regions and disappears. The outcry leads to building armies; the Republic recruiting while the Clone Masters clone their soldiers.

Hearing intelligence information on Xanatos trying to clone himself, Qui-Gon intervenes and duels his former apprentice. The two die from their wounds, but Qui-Gon manages to tell the Jedi of his son on Tatooine. Meanwhile, Xanatos’ corpse is hidden and some of his DNA is taken to be copied 

With Xanatos’ death, the Clonemasters attack the Republic, beginning the Clone Wars. 

36 BBY – Vader is birthed from Xanatos’ DNA on Telos IV and is watched by Atha Prime’s subordinates. Meanwhile, the Republic commissions Kamino’s cloners to clone soldiers.

35 BBY – The war goes on at a stalemate (with battles like Honoghr), the Jedi intervene but restrict it to Jedi Knights and Masters. Padawans have been forbidden from the front lines.

34 BBY – Obi-Wan is knighted, and goes to serve on Alderaan, where he joins Bail Organa’ military company with the Clone Commander Cody.

33 BBY – Seeing the Republic fail, many of the Mid and Outer Rim worlds secede to become neutral in the war, including Naboo.

32 BBY – With the Clone Wars going on, crime increases on Tatooine and many hide away on Galidraan. Among the refugees are the Skywalkers and the Lars families, the latter being helped by (their long-lost relative?) Obi-Wan Kenobi. There, Anakin meets Hondo Ohnaka.

31 BBY – Shmi Skywalker dies and Anakin is taken in the Lars family. He begins working for Hondo, honing his pilot skills.

30 BBY – The Republic invade of the Clone Master base on Cartao, scattering the Clone Masters. It is the turning point of the war as the Republic has captured Atha Prime, the lead of the Clone Masters.

29 BBY – On Galidraan, Anakin joins the military, lying about his age (limit is 17, he’s 15/16). Owen tries to stop him with Obi-Wan’s help, but Obi-Wan notices Anakin’s potential and offers to train him.

28 BBY – During a military mission, Obi-Wan and Anakin discover Vader in a cloning facility on Telos IV. Vader is trained Obi-Wan, as the Jedi are low in their numbers. However, the council has Vader hide his identity as a clone.

27 BBY – Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Vader arrive at a peace conference on Naboo. During the conference, Anakin meets and befriends a Naboo noblewoman, Padme Amidala.

26 – Obi-Wan and his pupils save the planet of Skye from the Clone Masters, and they go on to Bpfassh to deal with rumors of a Jedi uprising.

Here, our story begins…

Alright, here's a small preview of my story. It's not much, but I'd like to know what you guys think about it.  Please leave some comments. Thank you.

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“M’lady?” a voice called out.

Padme snapped back to reality and she found herself staring at a blue expanse with tiny dots of white flickering. The blurry vision focused and the blue turned into a lake glimmering with the light of the morning sun. More rays passed through the window and illuminated on to her white gown. Out of the corner of her eye, Padme noticed the large arches and columns lined against the walls.

Where was she? It certainly wasn’t the Theed Palace. No, the ball had been a year ago. Oh yes, Varykino–her family’s retreat in Naboo’s Lake Country!

With her father’s permission, Padme came here to have some time away from the large crowds of Naboo’s royal palace and work on the upcoming party to house for the king and his advisor. That had been the excuse.

“M’lady, are you alright?” called out the same voice from before, timid and soft.

Padme turned away from the window to a human girl who had joined in the long, airy hall. “Oh Teckla,” she said, “Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

Teckla bowed her capped head then spoke with a thick accent deemed her of Naboo’s lower-class. “I apologize, but I came to see you. I didn’t realize you were busy,” she said.

Padme spared a small smile. “It’s fine. My mind was… somewhere else. Now, you wanted to see me?”

Teckla’s tan face brightened at the reminder. “Ah, yes! I have something for you.”

Her hand went inside the thick blue folds of her dress, and a moment later, Padme’s eyes fell on a pair of clear, cylindrical crystals in Teckla’s palm. Lines ran over the transparent faces in circuit like patterns that made the crystals not mere ones. “When did they come in?” Padme quickly asked, glancing back with slight surprise.

“Just now, m’lady. A Bothan gentlemen came by and requested I give this to you.”

“I see…”  Padme paused for a moment. “Thank you, Teckla.”

She took the crystals in her own hand and kept them hidden in her red sleeve. Striding across the veranda’s marble floor, she reached the entrance when Teckla began again, “M’lady…”

Padme stopped and turned to Teckla, seeing concern in those familiar blue eyes. “Yes?”

The servant girl hesitated before she continued, “May I ask just what the message is? You seem to be getting more of them recently.”

“They’re nothing to worry about. Just some private messages.”

“But with the war going on, I’ve been wondering just what–”

“I said they’re nothing to worry about,” Padme cut her off, more forcibly. She spoke again, calmer than before, “You should get some rest. You’ve had a long day.”

Teckla conceded with a sigh and bowed again. “Yes, m’lady,” and she walked passed her mistress without any answers.

When Teckla was out of sight, Padme slightly chastised herself for her harshness. Teckla was merely curious, just like Padme herself had been not too long ago. It was only natural to ask after going on her mistress’ “errands” and receiving these strange messages. Now, Padme knew there was nothing to do about it, so she silently walked down the halls with her gown dragging on the marble floor.

Varykino, Padme found, was the perfect place to be alone. It was situated many klicks away from Theed and the prying eyes of the king’s handmaidens and advisors. The calm air and beautiful lake always cleared Padme’s thoughts, and she always carried many memories of many vacations with families and friends.

That had been before the Clone Wars. Before Naboo declared its independence from the Republic.