Anakin watched silently as Obi-Wan walked off towards the Jedi Temple to give a report of their mission to rescue Chancellor Palpatine from the clutches of Count Dooku and General Grievous.
Although he had wanted to come, Obi-Wan had insisted that there would need to be someone to take credit for the Chancellor's rescue, as both the Senate and the media would later need appeasing.
Begrudgingly, Anakin had remained behind and now waited anxiously as Chancellor Palpatine, who had now sufficiently composed himself from their crash-landing arrival, came over to him.
"Anakin, with much regret, I am unable to meet with you at the moment, as I have political business that needs my immediate attention," Chancellor Palpatine explained apologetically. "Although we need to have a discussion later on, I would like you to keep a low profile for the moment."
Even though he was feeling confused, Anakin nodded and watched silently as the Chancellor walked off back to his aides. A sudden surge of guilt surged through Anakin's heart as he turned away.
Yes, it was a good thing that Count Dooku was dead, but did he really need to be the one who killed him?
It was only on the insistent orders of Chancellor Palpatine that Anakin had dared to go that far, because Palpatine was a friend and mentor and there was always approval to be had.
However, despite the Chancellor's elation over the Count's death, Anakin felt immense guilt over taking the life of an unarmed man. It was not the Jedi way, rather, he should have merely arrested Count Dooku and brought him back to the Jedi Temple for questioning, but he instead acted on impulse.
Padme, I need to speak with Padme. Anakin suddenly thought, as his secret, yet dearly beloved, wife would be able to calm him. Her presence in his life was immensely soothing and she would be able to calm him now. Hopefully, she was on a recess in the Senate and then they could share a private moment together.
Letting out a sigh, Anakin walked across the platform to find a transport that could take him to the Senate.
Although the Senate was not officially in session, a very important meeting was taking place within it.
Senator Padme Amidala Skywalker lingered by the door of Chancellor Palpatine's private office, both nervous and excited about a meeting that would hopefully help create a united government.
While Anakin had been off on missions with Obi-Wan, Padme had taken time to reflect on what had been lost over the years. She had come to believe that perhaps a single governing body might be of good use.
Of course, she was also carrying a great secret that she often contemplated.
Despite all the chaos, she was pregnant with Anakin's child and she had yet to tell him.
However, if things didn't settle down, their child wouldn't have a safe place to be born and raised, so telling Anakin could wait. For now, the best thing to do was to focus on uniting the fractured galaxy.
Besides, the Jedi would probably insist on an immediate report from Anakin, which could take hours.
Ever since they had married, Padme had noticed that the Jedi seemed to monopolize a great deal of Anakin's time and energy. Often, she worried that the Jedi would someday destroy him.
"Senator Amidala, my apologies for keeping you waiting," a familiar voice suddenly sounded out, pulling Padme from her thoughts.
Seeing that Chancellor Palpatine had indeed entered his office, Padme straightened up and followed the man over to his desk. Palpatine smiled and gestured for her to sit in the visitor's chair, which she readily did.
"The Sepratists are growing restless and to protect them from possible harm, I sent them to Mustafar to wait for further instruction," Palpatine explained, as he sat across from the Senator. "I feel that only by your calming influence will the Sepratists be able to put aside their differences and unite as a singularity."
Padme nodded, but frowned, "There is the question of security if I were to travel to Mustafar and meet with the Sepratists at some future time, Chancellor," she replied. "Nute Gunray has not forgotten his grudge, nor has anyone else forgotten my past actions. It would be a risk to my life to go there unaccompanied."
"Senator Amidala, I also feel that you would be in danger if you meet with the Sepratists alone," Palpatine explained, a tone of deceitful charm in his voice. "Might I suggest that you bring Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker with you for protection? He has proved useful in assisting you in issues of the past."
"I agree, but the Jedi Council may not allow Anakin to become involved," Padme stated. "They are very strict about what Jedi can and cannot do and this may fall under the category of 'cannot do'."
Giving a small smile, Palpatine gave a nod, "The Jedi have become too much of an influence and perhaps before unity can be achieved, limits need to be firmly established," he stated, not wanting Senator Amidala to discover his true intent for involving Anakin. "Explain the situation to Anakin and I will make it clear to the Jedi that in order for this war to end, full cooperation is needed from all participants."
Nodding, Padme smiled, "Chancellor, perhaps we should discuss what exactly I am going to tell the Sepratists when I finally do meet with them," she suggested. "It might make things a bit easier on me if I were to tell you my ideas of what to say and you provided critique where needed."
Smiling, Chancellor Palpatine nodded and, as began explaining her ideas, he silently reflected on the fact that the very naive Senator had just helped set the trap that he had been preparing for a long, long time.
Across the city, a seemingly frustrated Anakin entered the vast foyer of the Jedi Temple.
Fully intending the Chancellor's counsel to lie low for the time being, Anakin had boarded a transport to the Senate, fully expecting to be able to share private time with the wife he had not seen for quite a while.
However, when he had arrived, he was barred from entering the senate by a guard, due to the fact that nobody was even at the Senate. Anakin argued, as it was highly unusual for the Senate to be empty.
The guard had said that the Senate would reconvene the next day and that Jedi should remain out of governmental affairs. As much as he wanted to use the Force to find out more, Anakin had restrained himself and in great need of calming, he had brought himself to the Jedi temple to meditate privately.
Well aware that many other Jedi were present throughout the Temple, Anakin, who didn't wish to be noticed by anyone at that moment, quietly retreated into a meditation room at the far end of the foyer, a normally quiet area. There was much weighing on his mind and heart and he wanted-no he needed privacy.
Anakin remained silent as he sat cross-legged on a meditation pillow and closing his eyes, he cleared both his mind heart and allowed the musings of the Force to fill him however they were meant to.
Padme and him standing together on their apartment balcony. She was very pregnant and they were elated for the opportunity to embrace parenthood, even if it was forbidden by the Jedi code...
Quickly, the happy scene faded away and Anakin was alone, surrounded by neverending darkness...
His eyes were yellow and his heart was filled with evil as all around him, younglings died at the hand of a lightsaber. The lightsaber was his own...he was murdering younglings without thought, without regret...
Again, the scene changed to a rocky terrain, surrounded by lava and fire. A cloaked figure stood before a very pregnant Padme, choking her to death while Obi-Wan was near, trying to halt this perilous situation..
The cloaked figure and Obi-Wan soon took to a lightsaber battle on rocks that floated through the lava and on multiple occasions, came dangerously close to fountains of fire...
Once more, the scene shifted...Anakin was now in Chancellor Palpatine's office, kneeling before a Sith Lord, who had his hood up and was unrecognizable, and being given the name of Darth Vader...
His face came into view, standing next to the Sith Lord, gazing at a dangerous, ball-like weapon...
Padme appeared yet again, dying. The figure suddenly lifted it's hood to reveal Anakin was the one choking her to death. There was no hint of thought, or even remorse in his face.
Finally, Anakin lay on a table, trapped in a suit because he had been badly burned by the lava, trapped within the Dark Side forever. He was now in a life that there was no return from, for it had been chosen.
"You will not escape your destiny, young Skywalker," a dark voice cackled...
Shaking, Anakin didn't open his eyes and felt himself rising unsteadily from the meditation pillow.
The vision was just a vision, but it felt far to real...Like it was going to happen very soon.
Suddenly opening his eyes, Anakin promptly became sick on the floor and promptly loses the ability to keep himself in an upright position. He fell not just to the floor, but slowly away from the conscious realm.
Down...down...down...there was nowhere to go but down...