Title: My New Empire
Author: Erianna
Rating: T
Summary: Anakin Skywalker makes a life changing choice when confronted with Palpatine's offer to help him save Padme, that will change everything for him and his family. Takes place many years after Episode III.
Main characters: Anakin Skywalker, Luke, Leia, Padme, Obi Wan
Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me.
Author's Note: I was really struggling with Heart of the Giant, as I've been having a hard time since I started it. My dear grandmother died in the middle of it, and since then, I've lost my taste for it. In the meanwhile, I hoped that by writing down this whim I'd had on my mind, I might be able to return to it.
Prologue
The air hummed and throbbed with the hiss and snap of lightsabers, crashing into one another again and again with the full wrath befitting a duel which was fated to claim at least one victim. Glaring brightly at one another, as purple met red, they grappled and shoved, demanding the other give way, insisting the other fall back, while each pressing on relentlessly in a deadly dance of grace and passion. The tension that hung in the air was almost tangible, and took on it's own taste mingled with the sizzling bitterness of electricity on the tongues of both combatants. Skillfully, the purple blade gained ground with determination, grace, and skill, while the red was slowly pushed back, finding only anger and passion to fuel its strength. Discipline met emotion, and the red blade and its wielder were thrown back in a gasping heap. The purple blade loomed nearer to seal, to seal the fate of the duel.
"You are under arrest, my Lord." Mace Windu rasped, nearly spitting out the last two words in biting sarcasm.
Another presence entered the room, defying the order of the battle in its dance reserved for two contestants alone. The old man looked up.
"Anakin, I told you it would come to this! I was right! The Jedi are taking over!" He shrieked, mixing fear with persuasion in a voice commanding attention.
His opponent would not accept the image of a fearful old man unable to render harm, "The oppression of the Sith will never return. You have lost." Mace Windu told him fiercely, the death of his comrades still weighing heavily on his mind.
And just as soon as the groveling man had appeared, he was swallowed up by the malice which seemed to ooze from those two rotting eyes, as evil poured forth from his soul, "No. No, no YOU will die!" With his scream of hatred, brilliant bolts of blue lightning leapt forward, clashing into the purple blade, and bouncing back into the horrid face of Darth Sidious. "He's a traitor!" shouted Sidious.
"HE is the traitor, ahhh!" Mace Windu screamed, his will pitted against his opponent's.
Once again, the evil was unleashed from the old man's eyes, and raced towards Anakin, luring him into their blackness, "I have the power to save the ones you love! You must choose!" For a moment, only Sidious and Anakin existed within the sphere of the spell those eyes created.
"Don't listen to him, Anakin!" Mace Windu called, breaking the spell with a voice full of strain. "Ahhhhh!"
"Don't let him kill me!" Sidious moaned, begging and pleading with a voice loaded with force persuasion. Yet, his strength was failing, and even the fiery depths of his hatred could not grant him survival. Time was running out, and the contest was swiftly coming to a head. He moaned, "I - I can't hold on any longer... I'm... weak... I'm too weak."
All at once, the lightening stopped, and there was eerie silence. "Help me, Anakin! Help me! I can't hold on any longer." Sidious moaned, breaking it all at once, and refocusing Anakin's attention on the situation at hand.
"I'm going to end this, once and for all!" rasped Mace Windu, summoning what strength remained within his frame.
With that, the once observer looked frantically at his superior, desperation in his voice, "You can't. He must stand trial!"
"He has control of the Senate and the Courts! He's too dangerous to be kept alive!" Mace Windu urged, voice full of determination.
"I'm too weak. Oh, don't kill me." the eerie voice begged.
It fell upon ready ears, "He must live!" Anakin shouted. The purple lightsaber didn't heed his words, and raised itself into the air to prepare for the final strike.
"Please don't!"
"I need him!" Anakin continued passionately.
"Please don't!"
"NOOOO!"
And before their eyes, the strong hand which had gripped the purple saber was severed, and hand and blade both fell down from the scene of battle, high above the cold planet's surface. Blue lightening surged forward again, to consume the wounded body of the Jedi.
"POWER!"
"UNLIMITED POWER!"
The proud figure of Mace Windu was thrown backwards, and out of the building to a sure death, while Darth Sidious leaned back, and gave out a little sigh, that no living being should have been able to make. Anakin felt momentary grief tug at his heart. Master Windu had deserved a better death. Yet, the sigh brought him nack to reality, and he glanced at Sidious, disgusted by the sight before him, ofrotting flesh forming acontented smile. HE had saved the disgusting old man, not the other way around, and somehow that decrepit figure thought it had "unlimited power."
Anakin's mind raced over his actions - over what he could lose, and what he would die without. "What have I done?" he moaned aloud.
"You are fulfilling your destiny, Anakin. Become my apprentice. Learn to use the dark side of the Force." the old man crooned, not recognizing Anakin's foul mood towards him, or at least, feeling confident that he could control Anakin still. The young man remembered what it was he wanted from the Sith, remembered how Padme's life depended on his actions. All at once, he steeled himself, and uttered words that burned him inside like acid.
"I will do whatever you ask. Just help me save Padme's life."
Sidious was pleased at his words, and Anakin could feel the twisted glee bubble up in him. "To cheat death is a power only one has achieved, but if we work together, I know we can discover the secret."
Anger flared up in Anakin at those words, and he fought to keep his eyes from narrowing. Apparently, he failed.
"Do you fail to appreciate my offer?" Sidious asked bitterly.
"You've played me for a fool. You don't know what you're doing." Anakin accused, glaring at the figure before him, "You've never done it before yourself!"
Sidious let out a deep cackle, "Only the Sith can save your precious Padme. Only the dark side can give you the power you need. I have that power, and it is your only hope. Take your place at my side, and with our strength combined we will be strong enough in the dark side to do what must be done."
Anakin shuddered, and let out a little sigh, "I pledge myself to the ways of the Sith."
"Good. Good." He paused, "Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth…Vader."
Anakin knelt down slowly before the cloaked Sith. "Thank you…my master."
"Lord Vader, rise!" Sidious declared triumphantly, looking possessively at his new apprentice. Sidious began pacing, "Because the Council did not trust you, my young apprentice, I believe you are the only Jedi with no knowledge of this plot. When the Jedi learn what has transpired here, they will kill us, along with all the Senators."
A dark light had taken residence in Anakin's eyes, and it rested on his new master. A slow, sickly smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, as he looked at Sidious with disdain. "Don't worry master, the Jedi will not have a chance to kill you, I'll make sure of that."
His lightsaber found its way to his hand, and as it snapped on, it threw cold light onto Anakin's face.
"Anakin!" Sidious called nervously, stepped backwards, "You need me. You need my power!"
"You're a weak old man!" Anakin snapped, "You're right about the dark side. It is more powerful, and with it, I can save Padme. Without you." He stepped closer and closer, causing more and more fear to light up Sidious' face, "I don't need you; it's you who needs me."
Anakin sensed the lightening long before it came, and he caught it up easily in his hand, not needing the lightsaber to reflect it back. He soaked in the dark energy, eyes closing in enjoyment, as he summoned all the darkness around him. He would be strong enough in the dark side to save Padme. Especially after dealing with the Jedi Temple… He reveled in his plans, and then, almost as an afterthought, brought his lightsaber crashing into the ugly old man before him, who had been foolish enough to think he could control the Chosen One.
There was a violent stir in the force, and blue energy grew swiftly around the body of the dead chancellor, and surged outward in one mighty sweep. Anakin reached out to the dark side, feeling his anger inside of him. It was not unruly and selfish like the anger Sidious had used, the same anger which had failed him in the battle with Mace Windu. Anakin was of a different mettle, and years of service in the Jedi Temple had hardened him, and taught him discipline. He delighted in his anger and its power, but refused to let it burn him away. Instead, he used its fire to mold and harden his resolution to an iron fist, and with his new strength, he created a bubble in the force, which shielded him from the outward explosion of blue energy.
At last, Anakin opened his eyes, and looked around the room. The Chancellor's body was no where to be seen. The furniture was burnt to a crisp, and what remains there were had been smashed into a thousand unrecognizable pieces that lay strewn around the room. The walls themselves had been pushed out, and actually knocked down in some places, while all metal objects in the room save those that had been in Anakin's possession were melted into slag which was quickly cooling into odd shapes.
It did not tale security very long to respond to the event, charged into the destroyed room with eyes desperately searching for the Chancellor. Anakin regarded them coolly, and using the force to help manipulate their minds, began. "There's been an attack on the Chancellor's life."
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The feeling of wetness only gradually impressed itself on her senses, along with a salty taste on her lips. She raised a hand to her face, trying to force herself out of the shock that had seized her, and felt the tears that had let slip from her eyes, slowly letting her senses come back to her numb mind. Her eyes focused once again in the distance on the Jedi Temple, smoke streaming up from its pristine white walls, and turning it and the sky to an ugly shade of grey. A little sob escaped her lips again.
C3P0 babbled aimlessly somewhere behind her, but she didn't hear any of the words he said. All Padme could remember was that her Anakin had been at the Temple, and now… Something was happening. The news broadcast had been confused, and with good reason. No one knew for sure what was going on, and the dread was killing her. And if she wasn't careful, it would kill more than her.
She placed a hand over her swollen stomach, almost feeling the life within. She had to be strong, for the baby. Suddenly, she caught the sound of a speeder parking outside, and ran to see who it was as fast as her shaky legs could take her.
"Anakin!" she shouted, at seeing him there. All at once, every worry she had evaporated as her only care was to throw herself into his arms, and to feel for herself that he was really there. "Anakin!" she called again, wrapping her arms around him and leaning into him.
"Padme…" he murmured affectionately, his hand running through her hair which was quickly falling out of place.
She tensed fractionally at his voice, sensing something different there than before. There was an almost possessive feel to it. "Are you alright Anakin? I heard there was an attack on the Jedi Temple?"
"I'm fine." he assured her, smiling oddly, still looking at her. There was something behind his eyes, "And you will be too, now that I can save you, with my new powers."
"Anakin," she began, with a bit of a nervous laugh, "my dear, I don't need saving. What new powers? What's happening at the Jedi Temple? Is Obi Wan alright?"
His muscles tensed through their hug, and she looked at him with worry. "The Jedi tried to assassinate the Chancellor." Anakin told her slowly, stroking her hair again, "There was a bomb that went off in an attack, led my Mace Windu. Both he and the Chancellor were killed by the blast. I arrived a few seconds afterwards."
"Oh Ani!" she gasped, holding him tighter, hearing how close he had been to danger.
"The entire Jedi Order is involved in the plot." he whispered softly, his voice compelling her to belief him, "I must stand for the people against them. I must go now, love, and secure peace for the empire."
"Empire?" she repeated, stepping backwards in surprise. "Empire?"
"I'll explain everything when I return, Padme." he assured her, annoyance nearly creeping into his voice at her reaction, "Go to sleep now, don't be worried."
He hopped into the speeder, "Don't be worried!" he called back. Yet more than anything at that moment, Padme was worried – and afraid. The last thing she wished to do was sleep. Instead, she changed out of her night clothes, and turned the lights on around teh house for added comfort. The darkness of the room seemed to creep upon her oppressively, and she fought it back. News reports continued to stream in, but they were all confused, and provided no insight as to what was going on with the governemnt.
Suddenly, she felt something, and gave a little gasp. C3P0 came running in on his driod legs, "Mistress Padme, are you alright?"
"Call the doctor, C3P0." she ordered, taking in a deep breath, "It's time."
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Anakin's plan came to his head as fast as the situations arose which required his attention.His move was risky, but the rewards were great, and it felt like that was nothing he couldn't do. With jis new powers, he clouded the minds of all around him, and manipulated them to say what he wanted, and believe what he wanted. The fact that he was the first on the scene of the Chancellor's "tragic death" also helped immensely. Suddenly, every snippet of information padme had given him about politics came in handy, and he found himself become a great statesman, literally overnight.
He had quickly moved himself into a position of authority, and summoned the most powerful leaders of the Senate, whom he desperately needed on his side. They were tired and surprised, and Anakinhad beenable to convince them to allow an attack on the Jedi Temple, which he himself had personally lead. Though it was dangerous to leave the political scene, the Jedi could not be left alive. One by one, he had slaughtered them all. Then he had afforded himself a very quick visit to padme, to assure himself that she was alive and well.
After returning, Anakin had quickly bargained with important political leaders, and gained their support. It was not unwaivering yet, but he had chosen the greediest leaders, who had responded positively to dreams of ever increasing fortunes which Anakin had put in their heda. Not as if they would ever attain them, or if they did, they wouldn't do them any good. As future Emperor, he would not allow corruptness in his government.
Future Emperor... Democracy could never work, for the weak minded and reedy were those who rose to power, while the true good of the people was never achieved. It required a man who was not afraid of losing his vote to get things done. Committees were a blight to the Empire.
And then, after laying down all the steps he could, one by one, playing every single political card he could, Anakin Skywalker, Sith Lord, made his move. He stood before a special meeting of the Senate, and announced his intentions. "Respected members of the Senate!" he called out, letting his powerful voice fill every corner and balcony of the huge room, "Today is a day of unspeakable sorrow! Our beloved Chancellor Palpatine had guided us through this war, to ensure our safety. He sacrificed his own time and health, to protect us from those who would do us harm. The Seperatists have not relented, and continue to endanger the galaxy. They knew that they would lose to the power of the Republic. They knew how important Chancellor Palpatine was to our safety." Anakin paused, and radiated all the persuasion he could into the room. Fora moment, there was silence, "Members of the Senate, I greive to announce to you, that Chancellor Palpatine is dead!" There was silence no more, as a roar filled the room, and voices from all directions began to shout frantically. "THE CHANCELLOR..." Anakin continued, managing to boost his voice above all others with the voice, "was assassinated by the Seperatists, helped by..." he waited again, gaining their attention, "those who are even now in our midst. It was the JEDI who killed him!"
This time, Anakin let the roar build up and continue, allowing the feeling of outrage to continue, "Many of you are thinking right now that I too am a Jedi. Let me assure you, I have turned my back on this traitorous order. I stand for the people, and for freedom! I was lucky enough to have been good friends with the Chancellor, who in the last days of his life, suspected a plot against him. He entrusted to me a plan for the Republic, knowing only this plan could save it. He made me promise that if he should die, I would carry out his plan for our welfare, and I promise, to each one of you here, that I WILL fullfill my pledge. This is my duty, and I swear that I will not fail him, or you."
A round of applause swept through the room, and Anakin smiled, knowing all was working well. Confidently, voice laced with persuasion, he told them the rest of his plan. Then suddenly, he felt something in the back of his mind, which he should have felt long ago. The darkness he had summoned had blocked it from him, and only now did he realize his wife was in pain. Padme!
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Obi Wan Kenobi let out a deep sigh, as he became lost in the depths of his thoughts. Something awful was happening, and he had no idea what it was. Some power struggle had happened in the capital, and in the past few hours, he and many other Jedi had suffered attacks on their lives. He feared not everyone had been as lucky as he. So far, he knew only that Master Yoda was safe. Bail Organa, whose ship he was currently on, had told him Anakin was speaking as Chancellor Palpatine's representative, which worried him all the more. If there was a power struggle in the government, surely Palpatine was its source.
He forced himself to relax, telling himself that Bail would return soon from the special meeting of the Senate, and then he would have some answers. Then...
Obi Wan closed his eyes to relax, and felt something... Someone he knew was suffering, and crying out for help. It was...Padme! Obi Wan hoped against hope that she wasn't going into labour in the midst of such strife, but the Force was urging him to go to her immediately. With resolve, he jumped up from his chair, and made his way to a speeder. Perhaps he might not know what Anakin was doing, but he would do what he could for his child. Yes, he knew it was Anakin's child, there was no other possibility. There were some things his apprentice couldn't hide from him.
Guessing the hospital and guided by the Force, Obi Wan made quickly found out where Padme was. When he made it to her, he took a step back in surprise. There she lay weakly on the bed, rather pale, with two little ones in her arms. "Padme." he called softly.
"Obi Wan!" she gasped, looking up, "I...I don't know what's going on. Anakin..."
"Shhh, it's alright Padme," he soothed, "Anakin's alright."
"He's alive," she answered weakly, "but he's not alright. He's changed. Oh Obi Wan, I'm so afraid!"
There was a loud noise of voices talking all at once outside, and Obi Wan left the room quickly to find its source. At the nurses' station, a holo stationwas the obvious source of the commotion. "What's going on?" he asked sharply.
"We have an Emperor!" one shouted, too confused to show either positive or negative emotions in her voice.
"Shhh! Listen for yourself." another chided. Obi Wan glanced quickly at the screen, and saw...Anakin!
"I will lead the galaxy to new heights of greatness and prosperity. As your Emperor, I will bringsecurity and peace to all!"
ObiWan could listen to no more, and ran back to Padme's room. "Padme, listen, there's not much time.You're right, something's wrong with Anakin. I'm afraid that he's fallen to the darkside."
"What's happened?" she asked him, concern in her eyes. He made no answer, "I'm a Senator, Obi Wan, what's going on?" she asked him firmly.
He collapsed in a chair, "Anakin's just declared himself Emperor." He heard her gasp from across the room, "He'll come here, Padme. If he's turned to the darkside, we can't let him have the children, or they'll be corrupted."
She looked up wildly at him, "You can'ttake my children!"
"Padme.." he urged,beginning to sense Anakin approach the hospital, "I must! If he's turned to the darkside, he will destroy them, turn them into monsters. If not, I'll bring them back. I'll take you with me too."
Wearily, she closed her eyes, and said nothing for a few seconds. Finally, without opening, she replied, "No. Take Luke and Leia with you Obi Wan, but I must stay. If anyone can save Anakin from himself, I can. I will notlose him. I can't. There's still good in him, I know it."
Obi Wan nodded, "Goodbye Padme, I must leave before he comes." He walked towards the door, with two extra bundles. On the way out, he turned back, "May the Force be with you."