He had always hated not being able to see things.
During temple training when they had blindfolded him, he had fidgeted until the practice was over; such was his hatred of darkness. Darkness represented the smug hatred in a slaver's eye as they raised a whip over his head, or the cruel sneer of a Sith as he beat him. However, being the Jedi he was, he was, once again, covered in darkness.
You turned her against me!
There was a voice coming from the darkness, which slowly seeped into light. Anakin squinted, the voice was familiar, and evil, thick with hatred and fury. Then, a great burst of light caused him to snap his eyes shut and shield them from the vivid brightness over-powering the darkness.
Master Skywalker, there are too many of them, what are we going to do?
Was that a youngling? What was a youngling doing in the light? Suddenly, the light burning through his closed eyes dulled.
Anakin opened them, and froze. He was on the bridge of his ship, The Resolute. There were not clones in the controls below the deck, but uniformed men who nonetheless looked all the same.
On his bridge a black… Machine was standing. His black cape was fluttering softly, as if forever propelled by an evil force. His entire body was a shiny black metal. He was breathing harshly, erratically, a sound that filled the entire room. Anakin knew, just by looking at him, that he was a Sith. No Jedi could look like that and live.
I have failed you, Anakin. I have failed you.
Obi-wan? Anakin looked around, wondering why these voices kept coming, what were they trying to tell him? Before Anakin could think on this further, the doors behind him opened.
The machine turned, and his black shielded eyes stared right at Anakin. No eyes had ever terrified Anakin more than those black, gaping holes of despair and emptiness. His hand crept towards his lightsaber, but the beast did not seem to notice him. A second later, Anakin saw why.
You were my best friend!
Two clones dragged in a sagging body, limp in their arms it appeared to be a female by her distinguished curves, and three long Lekku hung lifelessly on the floor. Anakin gawked, clones? Working for a Sith? No, this couldn't be, this wasn't right. He stared at the prisoner, wondering who it was. When the girl looked up, Anakin gasped in horror. It was Ahsoka, a few years older, but he would recognize her anywhere.
I trusted you, Anakin!
The anguished, furious voice was also Ahsoka's. Anakin felt his heart hammer in his chest as the clones forced Ahsoka to her knees before the black machine. He folded his hands behind his back, staring at her. Anakin wanted to drop to his knees next to his padawan, whose bruised face and cut skin only gave a small glimpse of her pain.
You were The Chosen One!
Obi-wan; shut up and help Ahsoka. Anakin watched the machine as he took a step closer to Ahsoka. The older face looked up, her large blue eyes defiant and fearless. That made one of them, at least, because Anakin's heart was hammering in fear. He wanted to throw himself over Ahsoka's body, to protect her from those endless black eyes.
I hate you!
He what? Why weren't these voices staying on topic? And was that his voice? No, it couldn't be, it was intoxicated with fury and malice that didn't befit Anakin at all.
"General Tano," the monster said cordially. His voice was deep and metallic. "The last time I saw you, you were a mere commander. You've grown, Snips" Snips? Oh, no he did not.
He did not just call her that. This Sith did not just call her Snips. Who was he? How did he know? What was going on?
"If these traders would let me stand, I'd be taller than you, Darth," Anakin doubted that, the monster was pretty tall. But, good on you, Snips, for getting to him like that. Anakin scowled, Darth?
You were supposed to bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness!
He what? When did that happen? "As impudent as ever, young one. I'd have thought years in hiding would teach you a bit of humility," Hiding? Pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Ahsoka had been in hiding, only now she had been captured by a Sith, who had bribed some mutinous clones into working for him. Where was he? Was he dead?
Anakin, you're breaking my heart.
Padme? No, not her, not her too. "You thought wrong then, it's only given me a harder edge to fight with, my old master" she replied calmly. Anakin felt the breath knocked out of his lungs, old master?
"I see. Tell me, Ahsoka, whatever happened to my old master?" Ahsoka's entire face shut down. "Dead," she spat. The monster let out a dry chuckle.
Don't make me kill you.
"Oh, no, I would have felt it, and besides, Obi-wan is too smart to be killed by a couple of clones," he said. Anakin gasped, tears blurring his vision. The pieces fell into place. That metal beast was he. "How would you know? Maybe he gave up on life, when his best friend betrayed him," Anakin felt his knees tremble; he wanted this to stop. He wanted that thing to vanish.
You were our only hope for peace!
He wanted to drop to his knees, to beg the voice to be quiet. He would not believe it, he could not. "Obi-wan will never give up," was that a hint-just a hint- of respect in his metallic voice? "You broke his heart," Ahsoka sighed, as if they had been through this already. The droid suddenly growled, Anakin could see his fists clench.
You were my brother, Anakin!
"Enough! Tell me where The Rebel base is! It is time for this foolish rebellion of yours to end, my old padawan!" he boomed. Ahsoka only smiled faintly and closed her eyes. "You should know me by now Darth, whatever you do to me, I'll never tell you anything," she said softly.
The droid ignited his lightsaber, pressing it to her throat. Anakin felt his breathing cut off short. "You would give up your life for a load of hopeful farmers? You're smarter than that, Ahsoka," he droned. Rage flooded through Anakin, who was he to tell her that?
I can't believe what I'm hearing.
Neither could he. "My master, Anakin Skywalker, would have done the same once," Ahsoka chuckled weakly. The monster took a wild slash at her. Ahsoka screamed and doubled over, gasping as blood ran down her sliced side. A hot fire ran through Anakin's veins, he wanted so badly to help, to draw his saber and deliver the same cut to the monster. "That name means nothing to me anymore," The beast said calmly.
This is the end for you my master.
"It used to mean something! It meant everything to me!" Ahsoka spat. When she looked up, her eyes were filled with fury. "You were the Chosen One! The Jedi depended on you! And you slaughtered the very people who needed you the most!" He what? The ground started to spin as horror engulfed him.
Master, this isn't right, you know it isn't. Please, leave them alone.
With a howl of pure vengeance, the machine raised his saber, empty black eyes somehow ablaze with rage. "No!" Anakin screamed. Nevertheless, the saber came down, and Ahsoka, headless and bleeding, dropped.
He sat up, gasping for breath. Tears mingled with the sweat pouring into his eyes. His bare chest trickled with both elements and thrust itself up and down with fast breaths. He shook his head, the image of Ahsoka's headless body welded into his mind.
He shook his head, where was Ahsoka? His mind went into a panic as he started to scramble out of bed. Was his body covered in black metal? Had he already killed the Jedi? Broke Padme's heart? Become a Sith?
Looking down, except for his uncovered mechanical hand he saw familiar, pale flesh. His breathing slowed and he remembered that Ahsoka was on a mission with Master Secura and Jinx again. Padme was on a diplomatic trip to Rodia and the Chancellor had a business meeting tonight. Wonderful, he was totally alone in this.
No Ahsoka, no Padme, no chancellor, this dream would eat him alive, it was eating him alive. There was no one to talk to about it though. Except….