Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, not even going to claim that for a second
Just an idea I had. Not sure how far I'll get with it, but if I have time, and if people like it, I've got plans…
He wouldn't make it. The thought hit Anakin like a physical blow as he wrestled his speeder down a narrow shortcut though the traffic of Coruscant. His desperation rising, he forced the craft even faster, pulling into a dive and hurtling towards the Senate building, swinging to a stop and leaping out in one fluid motion. He barely even noticed his feet touch the ground as he alighted and set off at an immediate sprint.
Palpatine had to live, that was the one thing Anakin was sure of. He had pondered the decision, but he had the power save Padmé; if she died now, it would be his fault. His mother had died because he hadn't been strong enough to save her, he couldn't face that again… so Palpatine had to live.
Almost flying over the ground in his haste to reach the chancellor's office, Anakin spotted the entrance ahead and re-doubled his efforts, surging into the main chamber.
He didn't know what he had been expecting, but it hadn't been this. Slowing to a walk, he glanced around the room, spotting the bodies of three of the Jedi he had seen accompanying Windu earlier. However, his attention was held by the scene in front of him, and he slowly moved towards the two figures framed in the window.
Palpatine was backed against the wall, his face twisted in a snarl, and blue lightning was erupting from his fingers in a deadly display of writhing energy. Anakin beheld this almost as if in a dream, he felt like he was simply observing a stranger in his body. He was dimly aware of both men calling out his name, and he activated his lightsaber, hearing a voice plead that murder was not the Jedi way, that the chancellor must stand trial. With some surprise, he realised the voice was his.
The room seemed to dim as he surveyed the two men, with a jolt of panic, Anakin realised something was wrong. He felt tired, felt his thoughts begin to scatter as his mind went blank. With a cry, he staggered forward and collapsed.
He never saw what happened to him next, he blacked out before he even touched the floor.
Windu could feel pure hatred radiating of the sith lord in front of him, and with a well-practised technique, he allowed it to course through himself as well. He felt detached, like it was someone else who was fighting. That much was imperative, he could not afford to become emotionally involved in the fight, too many dark emotions were coursing through him, waiting to be reflected against his opponent, and he could not allow them to influence his decisions.
He was sure that without vaapad, he would have died along with his fellow Jedi, but he could not afford to dwell on their deaths for more than a second, for doing so would force him to lower his guard, a mistake he knew would prove fatal.
So Windu and Sidious remained locked in their duel, with neither gaining the upper hand and neither faltering or failing in their moves. Both fought with desperation and determination – whoever lost this duel would lose much more than their life, everything they had fought for would fall as either the Jedi or the Sith order were destroyed. Both men knew this, and wordlessly they matched strokes and slashes with apparent ease, searching for openings that refused to appear.
Eventually, as if he were watching from a dream, Windu saw himself deftly disarm Sidious, sending the sith's lightsaber spiralling into the streets below.
All he had left to do now was arrest the seemingly defenceless man. Palpatine slowly raised his hands in front of his face, as if to protect himself, but Windu realised was going to happen just in time to catch the barrage of lightning erupting from the Chancellor's fingers on his lightsabre, and in that moment realised that the man before him could not be arrested, he was too powerful. He had to die…
Even defenceless, Windu doubted he could kill Palpatine, he could barely deflect the lightning directed at him. He would have to try though, tensing, he readied himself to strike. Then the doors to the Chancellor's office burst open and Anakin entered, looking terrified. Windu paid it no mind, the boy had reviled the identity of the Sith, and come to help when he was needed most – he had proved himself a Jedi. In desperation, Windu yelled out his need for support, but Anakin stood motionless, transfixed by the sight. Slowly, he moved forwards, and Windu noticed a slight blue aura glowing around the Jedi. As Anakin moved slowly forwards, the light around him grew steadily stronger and brighter, until he finally seemed to notice it. Panic flared briefly in the eyes, and he activated his lightsaber and surged forwards to help.
He made it a few steps before the light around him completely enveloped him. Windu could just make out the silhouette of the Jedi collapsing to the ground before the blue light abruptly faded into nothing.
Anakin was gone. Where he had stood but moments before, only the impression of his boots on the carpet of the office remained. Windu let out a wordless snarl and turn back to the Chancellor, "you", he growled. The eyes of the sith lord reflected only malevolence, giving no clue as to his part in Anakin's disappearance. Windu renewed his efforts to reach the sith through his lightning, seeking now only to stop any further death before it was too late. Amidst the swirl of lightning, he saw something which made his heart jolt, and he realised it already was.
A faint purple aura surrounded him, steadily increasing in strength and brightness. He felt his mind begin to drift away from his body. With one final cry of defiance before the inevitable, Windu shifted the angle of his lightsaber, deftly pirouetting to the other side to avoid the Sith lord's lightning. He swung his weapon towards where he knew Palpatine's head was, but even as he did so, he knew it was too late. Something hit him in the chest and for a few moments, all he could feel was pure agony as his body was wracked by the current fired into it. Shaking, he got to his feet to see blue energy still dancing over the fingertips of his opponent. He noticed a glow on Sidious' chest where his lightsaber had made contact and noted with a mild satisfaction that he had been able to wound his opponent.
Windu barely even noticed the pain anymore, his body was slowly being enveloped by the light around him, until all he could be was stare defiantly at the Sith Lord as he faded into nothing.
Moments later, all clones received a message from the Chancellor. It was always the same, and always meant the same thing: the end of the Jedi Order.