Choosing sides

Talon ran through the corridors of the building. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. A part of her was claiming she was going after Anakin sense he had been told not to go and stay in the temple, conveniently forgetting that she had also been told to stay put. One part of her was saying this was the right thing to do. In her heart she did it because she had to. She had to help Mace. A part of her hoped she came in the aftermath and they had dealt with the Chancellor already. But there was a grave disturbance in the force. Something was wrong, and she knew it. She prayed Mace was okay. But four masters should be able to deal with one Sith, right? It probably wouldn't have made a difference if she went.

A part of her suspected that Mace told her to stay put because he didn't want her to get hurt. A part of her still didn't want to believe what Anakin had said about Palpatine. He had been considering her a friend and she had done the same. Had they all been so blind?

She stopped in the open doorway. She stood for a moment and listened. She didn't hear any fighting. It was calm inside. Her ears picked up someone call Anakin's name. It sounded like Palpatine. She swallowed and stepped inside quietly. She found herself in dark room when she gasped.

Saesee Tiin's body laid on the red carpeted floor. His eyes were closed and he had a light saber slash across his chest, from the left side and up to his right shoulder. His lightsaber laid right beside him. It had rolled out of his right hand. She kneeled down and picked up his green lightsaber and gripped her own green saber in her right hand, holding his in her left.

"-jedi's taking over!" She heard Palpatine's strained voice.

The red Twi'lek cringed at the statement. Any hope she had had for Anakin being wrong, crumbled in her mind. That wasn't a statement of a good and truthful man. Not a protector of democracy and the ideals of the Republic.

She almost fell over Agen Kolar's body. His head had been removed from his body and laid a meter of so away in a puddle of blood. She saw Kit Fisto's body too. Two cuts across his chest. His eyes stared into nothingness. Empty and wide, staring into the empty void of death.

"The oppression of the Sith will never return," she heard Mace declare in a grim voice. "You have lost."

Talon sighed thankfully.

"No, no, no, you will die!" Palpatine screamed.

The sound echoing was unforgettable. Force lightning mixed with a grunt of exhaustion from Mace. Both men grumbled loudly. Talon ran quickly and entered the Chancellors office. Anakin stood a few meters in front of her. Mace and Palpatine was at the broken window. Mace standing and Palpatine on the floor. Mace was holding off Palpatine's force lightning attack, but just barely at first.

"He's a traitor!" Palpatine cried out to Anakin.

"He…is the…traitor!" Mace managed as he came closer to Palpatine. Making his own attack hit him. he cried out in the pain of the force lightning.

Talon was shocked that Anakin seemed to have trouble choosing sides. How could he consider trusting that Sith? Palpatine was a Sith and a dangerous man, obviously.

"I have the power to save the one you love," Palpatine managed meagerly. "You must choose."

Talon's eyes widened. Love? Anakin was in love? Her first thought was immediately Padme. But immediately she pushed the thought away, concentrating on the present.

"Don't listen to him Anakin!" Mace told him.

As the force lightning dissipated Palpatine looked over at Anakin, noticing her presence.

"D-don't let him kill me," he begged. Playing the victim, Talon realized. "Help me…both of…you." He breathed heavily.

Mace threw a glance at the door, seeing Talon standing there, two lightsabers in her hands. Anakin turned around seemed shocked but also pleased she was there. His smile dropped when he realized she glared grimly at Palpatine. He turned to look at Mace and Palpatine.

"I'm going to end this," he breathed out as he spoke. He straightened himself slightly, raising his purple lightsaber.

"Y-you can't!" Anakin exclaimed desperately. Mace glanced at him and Talon was taken about, yet again. "He m-must stand trial."

"He controls the courts and the senate-" Mace started.

Talon took a step forward.

"He's too dangerous, Anakin. You must see that."

"I'm too weak," Palpatine managed to murmur.

"I need him!" Anakin yelled.

"No you don't!" She tried.

Palpatine looked at her pleadingly, but she ignored him.

"He must live!"

Mace looked over at her. Talon nodded. There was no other way. With her consensus, Mace raised his saber and readied to strike Palpatine and end this. Saving the republic from the threat of the Sith's return. As Mace striked down, Anakin cried out. He activated his lightsaber and-to Talon's horror-cut Mace's right hand off.

Mace cried out in immense pain and staggered. The lightsaber rolled out of his hand on the floor.

"No!" Talon cried out in horror.

She ran at Anakin and Palpatine who were still on the ground. He started laughing viciously. Anakin turned around and once gripped his lightsaber tightly.

"Talon listen to-" he started.

Talon wasn't about to listen to a traitor. She force pushed him across the room with everything she got. He hit the wall hard and cracked it at the impact. Palpatine was raising his hands and screaming: "Power!" Force Lightning left his fingertips. Talon used the force to pick up Windu's lightsaber the second before she collided with Mace and pushed him out the window. Both fell out, but not before Talon was hit by the force lightning. She held it together and they together, tumbled down the roof of the senate building. She heled Mace hard, refusing to let go of him. she'd never let him go again.