Title: Rise, Lord Vader…
Author: slowdawn
Timeframe: ROTS era
Characters: Anakin, Padmé, (Obi-Wan, Palpatine)
Genre: Angst, Vignette, AU
Summary: AU--A slightly different way for Anakin to become Vader...
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars and all that jazz.
Notes: Thanks to brodiew and lunanightshade for the great betas and all the help. This is a vignette that I wrote in 2006 so it's a bit old.
The apartment is dark. It is lit only by the faint bluish glow that permeates the tinted transparisteel windows from the never sleeping city outside. The city is as sleepless as I am. My thoughts torment me. There is no escaping the memories.
I hear the snap-hiss of a lightsaber igniting, and whirl around to face my assailant. Heart racing, I frantically search for my attacker. Shaking, I realize that no one is there. They must have fled. I spin back around, igniting my blade as I do so. But, again, nothing. As I shut off my weapon, I will my hands to stop shaking and try to steady my breathing.
My thoughts betray me. I bury my head in my hands and try to keep the fear at bay. Yet its attacks are relentless. Memories assail me as ghostly figures float before me replaying my past.
Palpatine's shimmering visage coalesces before my eyes. Floating somewhere in my consciousness, his words resonate inside my skull.
The Force is strong with you. A powerful Sith, you will become...Do what must be done...Don't hesitate. Show no mercy...
I shake my head and try to clear my thoughts, but there is no escape.
The phantoms are like a veil draped onto my consciousness--inescapable, inexorable.
The image shifts again.
I see my own body, striding before me, cloak billowing, leading hundreds of troops up the steps to the Jedi Temple.
We enter and are met by looks of confusion from the Jedi assembled there. I raise my lightsaber and begin the attack. The clones are not far behind, systematically cutting down Jedi after Jedi. We are relentless in our slaughter. All who stand before us are sent to an early grave. The sound of screaming is thick in my ears.
I soon reach the council chambers. A very young padawan approaches me.
"Master Skywalker, there are too many of them. What are we going to do?"
I glare at him. My eyes flick to the right and see four more cowering behind a chair.
I fight to keep from being violently sick. How can I do this?
Just then, Palpatine's voice explodes within my head, DO WHAT MUST BE DONE! Only then will you be strong enough…to save Padmé. I cringe at the pain I am about to cause, but I will save Padmé, whatever it takes...
I ignite my weapon and advance. The child backs away, a look of fear and surprise on his face. As I lunge into him he ignites his weapon and tries to defend himself, but he is too slow--much too slow. My weapon plunges into his chest and tears through his heart. With wide-eyed confusion and horror, he looks up at me. I let him slide to his knees before I turn away.
I call his blade to my free hand and, with two wide arcs of light, kill the remaining four younglings who had been too frightened to try to escape.
The images dissolve as I drop to my hands and knees. I am shaking uncontrollably and soaked with sweat. My heart is beating incessantly against my chest.
I hear a sound behind me. I turn around, fearful of what might be lurking in the shadows.
"Anakin!" a voice cries out of the darkness.
"Padmé," I reply, barely a whisper.
"Oh Anakin," Padmé croons as she kneels down and puts her arms around me, "what happened?"
I shake my head and try to clear the fog surrounding m mind. "Padmé, everything I've done…I want you to know that everything I've done, I've done for you."
"Anakin, what are you talking about?"
"Please, promise me you'll remember that it was all for you. I--I think I may have done something terrible.
"There was a revolt, they—the Jedi, they—they tried to assassinate the Chancellor, they tried to take control of the Senate."
"Anakin," she replies, with a look of disbelief, "think about what you're saying, it can't be true, the Jedi…they would ne—"
"It is true," I growl, "I was there. I saw Master Windu try to assassinate the Chancellor, but I stopped him.
"The Chancellor told me of the Jedi's plot to kill him and overthrow the Republic. All Jedi are now enemies of the state. But my loyalties lie with the Chancellor. He ordered me to move against the Jedi Temple. 'Do what must be done,' he said. 'Show no mercy.'
"I killed them Padmé, dozens of them dead, because of me, even the younglings. All of them are dead."
She slides back from me, a look of horror on her face. "Anakin, how—how could you? Those Jedi--the younglings--they were innocent."
"But Padmé," I plead, "I had to kill them. It was the only way to protect the Republic and to protect you. I did all of this to save you."
She shakes her head in disbelief. She doesn't understand. I had to kill them. It's the only way I could save her.
"Save me? You murdered Jedi to save me? Ani, I can't believe this. You've got to tell Obi-Wan, and the council. They can—"
"No!" I cut her off. "Obi-Wan and the other Jedi care only for themselves. They want my power."
"Anakin, how could you do this? Obi-Wan was right, you have changed..."
"The Jedi have turned against me. Don't you turn against me..."
"Anakin, please, come back to me. You're breaking my heart."
Obi-Wan must have gotten to her, it's the only reason she'd say such things. He's turned her against me. They've all turned against me.
"Where is Obi-Wan?!" I yell at Padmé. He must be here; she must have brought him here to destroy me.
I ignite my lightsaber. "I know he is here. You've brought him to kill me. You're just like the Jedi. You all want to betray me."
"Anakin no—what are you talking about? I love you."
"LIAR!" I scream.
She is the one that has changed--her and all the Jedi.
With a sweep of my hand, I slam her against the wall and pin her there, her feet dangling above the ground. A muffled breath of air escapes, as the wind is knocked out of her.
"Anakin, please," she gasps "why are you doing this? I lov—"
I silence her lies with a squeeze of my hand. The Force cuts through them like a knife.
"Ani, w-w-why," she croaks, "I lo-lov-love y—"
I increase the pressure to stop her whimpering. She deserves no sympathy.
A single tear rolls down her cheek.
Let her go! Obi-Wan's voice resonates in my mind. Startled, I release Padmé and she slides to the floor.
"You brought him here!" I scream at her.
With a feral yell, I twist around and cut through the area behind me where Obi-Wan must be lurking.
He's gone again. "Where is he?" I demand in frustration.
I slash out at a flurry of movement to my side, and cut through a smoky apparition of Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan's phantom body begins to dissipate. I watch as his ghostly features disappear.
My heart pounds--he had never been here. Padmé hadn't brought the Jedi to betray me. It had been all in my mind.
Horror greets this revelation. I quickly turn to Padmé's unmoving body lying on the floor.
I rush over to her and kneel beside her, shaking uncontrollably. Tears flow freely down my face. What have I done?
"Padmé, no, please come back to me."
I cradle her head in my hands. I brush away a strand of her hair, but only cold, lifeless eyes stare back up at me.
I sob uncontrollably but soon hatred replaces the grief. This is the Jedi's fault. Obi-Wan…Obi-Wan turned Padmé against me, and now she is dead.
My anger consumes me. I scream. The Force flows through my outstretched hand to shove Padmé's body away. I can't bear to look at her any longer.
I fall back down. Head buried in my hands, I weep for the women I had loved, the woman I had done everything to try to save.
Now the realization begins to creep into my consciousness. I have killed her.
Another shimmering image presents itself before me. It is Palpatine. I look up at him.
The force is strong with you. A powerful Sith you have become. Rise, Lord Vader...