AN: I have to admit, the first chapter was not my best work. This chapter is more to their true character. R&R!

Anakin saw the lies unfold before him, but there was one part in the back of his mind that really was willing to believe what Sidious claimed. After all, the Sith had battled with the Jedi for hundreds of years, meaning they must be very powerful. Palpatine would have to be especially powerful to shield his true identity from them the Jedi all this time. Reason was screaming to Anakin, yet there was that one shard of resistance which met it. The one shard that kept Anakin from charging at the man before him and finishing everything once and for all.

The worst bit was that Sidious knew. He knew that he had an infinitesimal advantage over this young Jedi Knight, and that could be expanded any moment with the right amount of deception. That was the way of the Sith: deception, hatred, anger and fear. They were used to strengthen powers, not lessen them. With a Sith's anger and hatred, they gained focus. With fear, they gained power. With deception they gained the pawns to play the game.

This would be the most crucial pawn of all, in the final stance of the game.

"Good. Good. I sense your hate. Your anger. They give you focus. Use them, young Skywalker. The Jedi have betrayed you. They desire only power. They have a plot to destroy the Republic. Just like...", he softened his voice several notches, "...they destroyed your mother." His wave of electricity evaporated to smoke.

Anakin's reason once again told him that this was another lie. But as was known to happen, Anakin's emotion completely took over. "What?!" He screamed in fury, his hand released the lightsaber as it deactivated, utterly confused.

"I cannot hide it any longer. The Jedi are ruthless, merciless people. They do not care about compassion; they desire only power. They saw you, a truly powerful and gifted Force-sensitive who they could manipulate to their side in their bid for power. But there were obstacles! Your mother was one of those obstacles. Do you not see why the Jedi forbid attachments?"

Sidious knew that he had finally caught the young fool in his trap.

"Because attachments will compromise their greed! If they were to discover...her and the child, they would eliminate her too. Just like they did your mother. They hired the Sand People to kill her, you must know I am telling the truth. I beg of you to see reason and abandon their ways, to join me and rid of their hunger for power. Accept the Dark Sid, and you will have the power to save your wife before it is too late!

But, no! That couldn't be true, could it? The Jedi were his friends, and all they had ever done was take care of him! Obi-Wan was his brother, who worried and cared about Anakin. Their friendship was never a lie!

"I won't listen to this! You're trying to turn me against the Jedi, and it won't work! They raised me, trained me, and cared for me. My mother was killed by Tusken Raiders, and I found her dying body amongst them! I killed them all! They were animals and I slaughtered them like animals!"

"I slaughtered them like animals!" he repeated wildly, "I-I killed them and...and...no, that can't..."

Sidious' charade was finally over, and it was time to conform to plan B. Skywalker was not ultimately needed, and he was most resistant than Sidious had realized. "Young fool. Only do you realize at the END!"

Anakin had a split-second to react to the red blade that came hurling down at him. The blue and red clashed violently, as the Jedi and Sith engaged in combat. Each had their own advantage: Anakin was younger, more agile and fit, but Sidious made up for all that with the immensely Dark power he possessed. His hate flowed like a river and it gave him strength and focus.

Yet Anakin was still quicker. He used his most aggressive Djem So, attempting to defend himself with it. They crossed and spun the blades across the narrow Chancellor's chamber, until the fight extended to the empty Senate Rotunda.

Anakin flung himself aside to take cover behind one of the disc-shaped seats, formulating a plan to escape. Sparks of lightning were aimed at the box, and it meandered slowly to the center. Anakin ducked out and with a Force-induced leap, bounded across onto a lower level, his lightsaber wielded like a shield before him.

Sidious cackled maniacally, showering him again with lightning, apparently finding it the easier route than normal saber fighting. As he deflected the bolts, Skywalker realized that using the Force was another legitimate move. Using his powers, Anakin threw one of the Senatorial boxes in his opponent's direction, earning a temporary advantage to strike down upon the Sith.

It was now a fight of the wits, lightsabers, and the Force. Objects were thrown about, most usually missing their target, and Anakin was the sole user of his lightsaber. "It is no use, young Skywalker, your powers, even if great are nothing compared to the Dark Side!" Sidious bellowed, Force-pushing the Jedi off his current equilibrium.

The push sent Anakin down, and he scraped madly through the air, trying to find a hand hold. Instead, his body slammed against the side of one of the Senate boxes and he slid before he could get a firm grip on the edge, continuing onto the hard floor. The side of his face and the ferroncrete met all too soon, the impact successfully managing to make hard crunching sounds as he landed.

For a moment Anakin lingered, but after hearing someone -or a group of someones- approach, he looked about fervently for a way to escape. Scanning the floor quickly...

...An air shaft! He dragged himself upon the floor and braced himself to fall down the shaft and into a control room. That is, of course, before slicing up the fan and destroying the operator droid.

From the small little control room, Anakin limped out into the street, leaving behind Artoo and his starfighter. He had to reach Padmé as fast as possible before Sidious could commit any more treachery.

--

Sidious could sense his aides approaching, and the Jedi was going to attempt to flee - not for long.

"Are you alright, Chancellor?" Mas Ammeda stalked with his huge limbs, several stormtroopers behind him, and Sly Moore treading slowly behind as usual.

He cleared his throat, while pulling the hood over his obscene visage. "Senator...we must call a Senate meeting immediately. It is of great urgency. An attempt has been made on my life - by the Jedi. We must contact our troops...to execute Order 66. The Jedi are plotting to take over, and the consequences will be dire of we do not act as well."

The Chagrain took a long moment to be stunned, and then began to snap into order. Ammeda had Moore escort the Chancellor to his chambers, then made off to relay the transmissions.

All was falling into place, and Skywalker would soon pay for his obstinacy. In the privacy of his quarters, the Sith Master looked upon Coruscant with devilish glee; he envisioned it, and its people, all gloriously his.

As he continued in his power-hungry ambitions, his eyes rested on that of one of the many gleaming apartment buildings. He sensed the time was nearing in the final stance of play. Power was the game, and he would soon claim every single piece for his domination of the ultimate board.