Chapter 4: Duel of the Fates
They stood there for a minute, lost in each others embrace. Through all the trouble they had been through, they found that when they were together, it just somehow all disappeared. Finally they pulled away and looked at each other, as Padme was the first to speak.
"Oh Ani, there's just a big mess!" she said with a small hint of panic in her voice. "Jake called a meeting of the security council, and now Palpatine is no longer the chancellor. And he was saying that the Jedi are making the preparations to arrest him. And it's just horrible Ani" she said, as she broke down in his arms. Anakin held her and slowly rocked her, stroking her hair and comforting her.
"I know angel, I know" he said softly, as she softly sobbed in his chest.
"D-Did he really offer you an apprenticeship so you wouldn't say anything?" she asked, as she looked up into his eyes, as he met hers.
"Yes" he nodded. " But I won't accept it. I've learned that it would be the wrong decision. It would put you, and our little one in danger. And that's something I can't do, if I lost both of you, I would have no reason to live", He said, as tears started to well in his eyes.
"Oh Anakin" Padme exclaimed, as she through her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, before pulling back and meeting his eyes once again. "I'm so glad you made the right decision, we'll get through this together. And we'll make a better galaxy for us and our little one" she said, as she took his hand in hers and placed it on her round stomach.
They both smiled, as they felt their unborn child kick a few times in response to it's father's touch. It was almost as if, it knew when it's parents were upset or happy. That, it could feel their presence as well.
"It knows your here, right where you belong" Padme said as she smiled up at him. He returned her smile, as he moved to kiss her.
But just as they were about to, Anakin's comlink went off. They both knew who it was on the other end, as he raised it to his lips and answered it. "Skywalker here" he said.
" Anakin, it's Jake. Master Yoda just arrived, and Obi Wan just got clearance to land. As much as I hate to say it, it's time. Meet us in the council chambers as soon as you can" he said.
"Alright, I'm on my way. I'll be there in a few minutes", he said as he hung up his comlink and looked back to Padme.
"Be safe, please" she said as she took his hands in hers. "Promise me that you'll come back to us, we can't lose you".
"I promise, not any sith lord that ever or will exist could keep me from coming back to you too" he said, as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, and then to her stomach. He stood there for a moment looking at her, before he turned and headed towards his speeder.
Padme watched, as her husband sped off towards the Jedi temple in the distance. "We love you" she said, barely above a whisper, tears welling in her eyes, as she put her hands on her stomach and rubbed it gently, as she felt their child kick again. Unaware of the figure that was about to make itself known to her.
Obi Wan landed his ship in the temple hangar, and nearly sprinted the entire way through the temple to the council chambers lift. He was just about to get on, when he saw Anakin arrive at the same time as he did, out of breath as he had been sprinting as well.
"Anakin, it's good to see you. Come on, we've got to hurry" he said, as they both entered the lift.
They stood in the lift not speaking much, until Anakin hit a button on the console and they stopped on the floor below the council chambers.
"Anakin what are you do-"
" I need to tell you something" Anakin said, cutting Obi Wan off. "It's too important, and I've put it off longer than I should have".
Obi Wan looked at him curiously. "Alright, let's step outside" he said hesitantly, as they both preceded out to one of the meditation balconies on the tower. "Now, what is it you need to tell me" he asked.
Anakin hesitated for a moment, not sure how to tell his former master and best friend. Finally he decided to just say it. "Padme and I are married, we have been since I took her back to Naboo three years ago after Geonosis" he said. "I should have told you, and I'm sorry I didn't".
Obi Wan was silent for a moment, a look of thought on his bearded face. Finally he spoke. "I know" he said softly.
Anakin was taken back. "You do, how and for how long" he asked.
"I think, I've always known. When you returned from Naboo back then, I felt something different in you. Through the anger and sadness you carried with you there was something in you that I could feel strongest when you were with Padme" he said.
"What?" Anakin asked, as he turned his gaze to his friend.
"Love. Love and Happiness, something that I don't think you've truly felt since you left your mother all those years ago" he replied. Anakin was silent, as he looked off into the distance.
"Why didn't you turn me into the council if you knew?" he asked after a moment.
"Because I am your friend Anakin, and because you deserved to be happy" he said. "Force knows you weren't when you were younger" he said quietly.
"Anakin" Obi Wan continued. "I know I was not the best master for you. I was hard on you when you needed help, I never told you how proud I was of you when that was all you ever wanted of me. I could have been better, and I'm sorry that I wasn't".
"The truth is" he continued."I was so hard on you...because I was afraid". Anakin looked at him puzzled.
"But you have never been afraid of anything master" Anakin said.
"I was then...and sometimes, I still am" Obi Wan replied. "Sometimes I feel that I failed you because I was too hard on you, and that I didn't tell you how proud of you I was".
"Anakin" he continued, as he placed a hand on his shoulder and looked his oldest friend in the eyes. "I may not have told you then, but I will tell you now. You have become so powerful and so wise, that you will one day be wiser and more powerful than master Yoda. You are strong, wise, and I have always been proud of you...and I always will be, I love you, as my friend, my brother, and even as my son in a way" he finished. Partly expected, Anakin suddenly pulled his master into a hug and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you master. I couldn't have done all I've done, and be here right now if it hadn't been for you taking me in" Anakin said. Obi Wan patted his former apprentice on the back soundly, before being released from the hug.
They stood there silently for a moment, watching the sun as it was almost about to set over the horizon, until Obi Wan broke the silence. "Come on, we best get up to the council chambers" he said, as he started off to the lift, Aankin following behind him.
Anakin and Obi Wan entered the council chambers, as master Yoda, master Windu and Jake stood in the center, as they turned to face them.
"Master Kenobi, glad it makes me, that returned safely, you did" Yoda said. "Good to see you as well, it is, young Skywalker".
"Thank you master" Obi Wan said, as he and Anakin both bowed respectively to the elderly master.
"We were just going over the final plan for confronting Palpatine" Mace said.
"Great, what's the plan?" Obi Wan asked.
"Simple, we walk in, try to see if he will come quietly" Mace replied.
"And if he doesn't" Obi Wan asked.
"Then we will have the means to use force if necessary" Mace replied sternly.
"What if he somehow escapes" Anakin asked.
"My troops will have a five mile perimeter set around the building" Jake replied. Checkpoints, constant air patrols, you name it we got it. Once we land, the senate will be slowly and quietly evacuated. And no one will get in or out without us knowing about it".
"Then it seems we're ready" Obi Wan said, as they all turned to master Yoda, who spoke next.
"For too long, loomed over the galaxy, darkness has. Clouded us as well, it has. End today, it does" he said. They all stood in silence for a moment, realizing the magnitude of what they were about to do, until Jake broke the silence. "Well, let's go save the galaxy" he said, as the others nodded and followed master Yoda out.
Bail sat at his desk in his office, drinking some tea while looking out of the large panoramic window behind it. It was one of the few things that calm his nerves during very stressful times. This had only been his second cup, yes, but he felt like it would take him a hundred more cups to come just an inch close to helping his nerves.
He still couldn't believe it. Legally, he was the chancellor, they had broken no laws when they'd placed him at the position. But no one knew that he was, apart from the security council, the Jedi council, and every clone commander in the galaxy. And it still just seemed so odd and frightening. Everything that had transpired, and everything yet to come.
He was interrupted from his thoughts by the chime of his office door. He turned around and set his tea on his desk. "Come in" he said.
The door opened, and a clone trooper in ARC style white and scarlet red Phase II armor entered. Bail recognised him as commander Colt, Jake's second in command in the Senate Guard. "Ah, good evening commander Colt" Bail said greettingly. "Is there something I can do for you".
"I'm sorry to disturb you chancellor" Colt said apologetically through the speaker in his helmet. "But commander Delarus has ordered that I help escort you back to your residence, and remain with you for the time being".
Bail sighed as he looked down for a moment. They must have been moving in to arrest Palpatine, he only hoped that they were successful."Very well" he said, as he looked back up at Colt. "Let us get going then" he said as he stood up and followed Colt out.
They came into the main area outside of Bail's office. He noticed there were lots more clone troopers out, some standing guard at entrances, others clearing rooms and escorting other senators out.
"This has certainly turned into quite a mess, hasn't it commander" Bail asked.
"That it is sir" Colt replied.
"Is my wife safe on Alderaan" Bail asked.
"Yes sir, I spoke with her head guard, and they've taken some troops from the local base to help increase security for her just in case" Colt replied.
"Thank you commander" Bail said gratefully. He couldn't believe how Breha was feeling right now, he hadn't even had a chance to tell her about all this. He'd have to wait till it was all over.
"Are Jake and the others moving to arrest Palpatine" Bail asked.
"Yes sir" Colt replied with a nod. "They should be up to Palpatine's office any minute now".
"Well then let's hope that their successful" Bail sighed, as they walked onto a landing pad and boarded the waiting gunship.
With any luck, the Jedi would arrest Palpatine, and restore the order and justice that had been fractured.
The five Jedi filed out of the lift into Palpatine's office and assumed a formation; Master Yoda was in the middle, Obi Wan and Anakin on his right backside, master Windu and Jake on his left.
They proceeded deeper into his quarters, until they reached the door of his secondary office, which had five red guards standing in front of it. The two forward guards in front of the door crossed their force pikes in front of the door. "I'm sorry master Jedi, but the chancellor does not wish for any visitors to disturb him at this time" one of the guards said.
"Let us in, you will" master Yoda said determinaly.
The other guards lowered their pikes and stepped into a fighting stance. "I'm sorry master Jedi, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave" the guard said coldly.
"Leave we will, once in our custody, he is" Yoda said. Suddenly, with lightning quick speed, Yoda raised his hand and used the force to throw all five of the guards into the wall behind them, knocking them all unconscious.
"Quickly, no time, we have. Most likely sensed my use of the force, Palpatine did" Yoda said, as he turned to his companions, and they hurried into Palpatine's office.
Palpatine sat in his chair at his secondary desk. He was staring at the spheric red hologram at his desk, thinking about his future plans, and empire. This was the second biggest part of it.
He knew that he wouldn't much more time, he knew that Anakin had turned him over to the council. He knew that they would come, that they would try their pathetic attempt to arrest him. But they would fail, they would die, all of them. And Skywalker would turn and be his apprentice, whether he wanted to or not.
But, all of a sudden, he felt a surge in the force. It was powerful, and close, too close. Quickly, he shut off the hologram just in time to turn and see the five Jedi walk through his office door.
"Master Yoda" he said calmly. "I didn't expect to see you back so soon", Yoda was silent. "I must say, your entrance is rather unexpected, and rather a little rude" he said icily.
"Busy, you have been chancellor. Or, lord Sidious is it" Yoda asked coldly.
"I'm afraid I don't understand" Palpatine said innocently, as he turned his gaze to Mace who was next to speak.
"Sheev Palpatine, in the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you are under arrest" Mace replied sternly, as the he and the others, except Yoda, ignited their lightsabers. Sapphire and Azure blades sprang from Anakin and Obi Wan's blades respectively; While a Amethyst blade came from Mace's saber, and an Emerald blade activated from Jakes saber.
"Are you threatening me master Jedi" he asked coldly, giving Mace a evil stare.
"The Senate will decide your fate Palpatine" Obi Wan snapped.
"I am the Senate" Palpatine hissed at Obi Wan.
"Not anymore" Jake snapped back, as palpatine shifted his evil gaze to him. "As of this afternoon, you are no longer Chancellor".
"It would seem, that powerless, you now are" Yoda said, as he drew his own small lightsaber, it's Emerald blade surging to life. "Surrender now, at an end, your evil plans are" he said, as he dropped his small cane, and leveled his blade towards the dark lord before him.
They all watched, as palpatine stood up from his chair, and summoned the shiny silver lightsaber from his sleeve into his hand. "It's treason then" he said evilly as the crimson blade ignited in his hand.
Suddenly, he leaped forward, twirling in the process and yelling a blood curdling yell, landing in front of the five Jedi. They each dropped back into their respective defensive stances, as the dark lord lunged at them.
Palpatine swung his blade, first at Yoda, then Mace, before parrying one of Obi Wan's lunges. He attacked all of them, trying to keep them off balance and open up a weakness on each of them. But after just a moment, he knew he couldn't take them all together. These were the most powerful Jedi in the entire Order, he'd have to split them off and take them down one by one.
That split would come sooner than expected, when suddenly, the five red guards that had been guarding Palpatine's office had awoken and barged in the office with an additional nine guards.
Yoda and Jake fell back to fend off the guards, which left Mace, Obi Wan and Anakin to fight Palpatine, as they drove him into his frontal office.
They slowly made their way there, Palpatine swinging wildly at the three Jedi that surrounded him. They were pretty much at a standstill at this point, as they reached his front office. Everytime Palpatine would swing, his advance would be blocked or parried and he'd get pushed back. However, that worked both ways, as everytime someone would parry or block, before they could go on the offensive, they would be attacked again, forcing them to stay defensive.
They continued to move until they were in front of the large panoramic window which stood behind Palpatine's main desk. The standstill continued, Palpatine grew weaker with every strike and parry, and he knew he had to do something or else he would meet his fate sooner than later.
Palpatine summoned the dark side to him, and used a powerful force push to throw back Obi Wan and Anakin, all the way across his office to the entrance. That left him to only face master Windu at the moment. But this was no easy task, as Mace was a master, and one of the creators, of lightsaber combat form seven: Vaapad. This form was focused on using quick strikes to overcome the users opponent.
Mace and Palpatine exchanged a few angry blows, until they both struck and locked blades. They glared at each other,each trying to overcome the other. It would be Mace who would be victorious in the struggle, as he pushed hard, sending Palpatine stumbling back. Mace used this to his advantage, and followed his push with a kick. He kicked Palpatine hard in the chest, sending him falling on his back and scurrying across the floor to the wall.
Mace raised his lightsaber to Palpatine, its blade only a few inches from his throat."The reign of the Sith is over. I'm going to end this once and for all" Mace exclaimed.
"You can't. I must stand trial, the Senate would charge you all as criminals for my murder" Palpatine hissed, as he stared evilly at Mace.
"Not when they find out, that you are no longer the chancellor. That you were removed from office, accordingly to the law" Mace snapped back. Palpatine smirked evilly, as he turned his gaze to Anakin, who was standing next to Obi Wan watching the whole ordeal.
"Anakin, you won't let them kill me. Not when I can save the one you love" he said with an evil smile.
"What is he talking about Anakin" Mace demanded, as he turned his gaze to Anakin.
"Why ask Anakin, when we can ask her" Palpatine said with an evil laugh, as he waved his hand at the door across the room.
The others turned to the door as it opened. They watched in stunned horror, as the figure who stood in the door was none other than Padme, who had two red guards on either side of her, and a third one holding her arms behind her back with one arm, and its other wrapped around her neck.
Palpatine watched, as the three Jedi focused on his hostage across the room. This was the break he needed. Quick as lightning, he summoned a second lightsaber from across the room and ignited its crimson blade.
Mace didn't have time to react, as he felt the surging heat go through his right hand, severing it and sending it to the ground, his saber still in his clenched fist. Mace howled in pain, as he fell to the floor.
Obi Wan tried to attack, but Palpatine beat him to it, and a surge of blue force lightning erupted from his fingertips, striking Obi Wan in the chest and sending him flying to the middle of the room, landing on the floor unconscious.
And before he could do anything, Palpatine used the force to lift Anakin off his feet and send him sailing across the room, slamming him hard into the wall.
"ANAKIN" Padme screamed helplessly, as she watched her beloved husband fall limply to the floor.
Palpatine smirked evilly as he turned back towards master Windu, who sat on the floor on his side propped up on his left elbow, as he held the burnt stub that once attached him to his right hand. Palpatine came and stood over him, his red lightsaber still glowing in his hand.
"Now master Windu, I believe to put it in your words, I'm going to end this once and for all" he said with an evil smile, before he drew his saber back . Mace didn't show fear, as he watched Palpatine begin to bring his blade down on him, he braced for what would never come.
As Palpatine brought his blade down on the vulnerable Jedi master, he was stopped by the emerald green blade that caught his saber. He looked up to see the wrinkly green face that stared back at him.
"Only you, finished for good, will be" Yoda said, as he pushed Palpatine's blade up and began striking wildy at the sith lord.
The two enemies exchanged blow after blow, until they both locked sabers. Palpatine twirled his blade and made Yoda lose his grip on his saber, sending it to one end of the room. As he did that, Palpatine quickly lunged at the elderly Jedi master, but was stunned to see him catch the blade's point in his hand. Palpatine pushed hard, but Yoda stood firm using both hands to help absorb his enemies blade.
But even he, at almost nine hundred years of experience, couldn't stop the bolts of force lightning that suddenly erupted from Palpatine's hand, striking him and sending him to the floor writhing in pain.
Palpatine grit his teeth, as he brought his saber up to stab the small old Jedi master. But would be stopped, as just as he was about to end the life of the elderly Jedi master, he heard a warrior like yell, as he turned just in time to catch the emerald blade of Jakes lightsaber.
Jake brought his blade up, and rained blow after blow on the sith lord, determined to protect his friends.
Palpatine stumbled back, caught off guard by the speed and ferocity of the Jedi he now faced. He blocked a few more strikes, before finding himself almost pinned against the wall, the two blades locked fiercely. He knew he had to think of something, and fast. And he did.
"You think you've won" he said as he smirked evilly. "KILL HER!" he yelled to the two guards that stood at both sides of Padme.
Jake turned and watched as the guards prepared to drive their force pikes into her. With one swift motion, he disengaged his saber lock with Palpatine kicking him into the wall in the process, and turned and threw his saber across the room, using the force to guide it.
He watched with meer satisfaction, as his saber went across both the guards faces, and their bodies falling to the floor.
He summoned his saber back, as it sailed through the air to his hand. But just as he caught it, he growled through gritted teeth, as the crimson blade pierced his abdomen, the searing pain overcoming his body. Palpatine kicked him in the back, sending him weakly to the floor.
Palpatine stepped back and observed the scene before him: Jake was on the floor in front of him, weakly clutching his wound in his right side. Obi wan was not far from him, laying face first on the floor unconscious. Master Yoda was also unconscious, laying on his back behind the desk. Master Windu not far from him, over by the window clutching the stub that was once his right hand.
Palpatine turned over to the right wall to see Anakin waking up. He smiled evilly, as he watched the young Jedi try to quickly recover from the hard hit he'd taken. "Ah, young Skywalker, I'm glad you could rejoin us" he said evilly, as Anakin glared at Palpatine.
"I thought you were smarter than to go against me" he said, his smile turning to a frown. "You could have had so much power, so much knowledge of the force. But instead you chose to side with your weak pathetic friends. And now you'll pay for your incompetence".
Palpatine turned toward Padme and stared at her evilly. "You've been a pain in my side for far too long" he said, as an evil grin appeared on his face once again. "Now, I'll remedy my pain".
Anakin watched in horror, as Palpatine raised his hands, and bright blue bolts of force lightning erupted from his fingertips.
For a moment, Padme's pain filled screams were all that filled the room, as the lightning struck her, electrocuting both her and the guard that held her. Anakin watched, as both Padme and the guard shuddered violently, before they both fell to the floor, motionless.
Palpatine took great satisfaction in watching his greatest enemy in the Senate fall. His satisfaction would quickly fade away however, as he turned and watched Anakin rise up and give him a steely, murderous look.
Anakin felt a fire in him that burned hotter than the lavas of Mustafar. His eyes beared a look of anger, murder. But they were not yellow like the sith lord before him. No, his eyes almost seemed as if they were glowing blue. He felt a surge of power coursing through his veins.
Palpatine only stared coldly at him. "So be it" he snapped. He raised his hands and shot lightning directly at Anakin's chest. But he was quickly shocked, as he watched Anakin's chest absorb the lightning, completely unaffecting him.
Anakin raised his left hand, and pure white lightning that was almost blinding, erupted from his hand and was sent directly into Palpatine.
Obi Wan and Yoda had woken up just a mere few moments before this, and they, as well as Jake and Mace, watched in sheer and utter amazement at the scene before them.
Palpatine cried out, as the power of the pure force poured into him. His scream filled the room, and the last thing he would see, would be the glowing blue eyes of the one he had tried for so long to make his apprentice.
Anakin watched, as with one final blood curdling scream, palpatine exploded into nothing but black burnt ashes. He lowered his hand, and realised just what he had done.
But he quickly put all of that aside, as he rushed over to his beloved Padme.
"Padme" he said, tears staining his eyes as he cradled her body in his arms. "Padme please wake up" he pleaded, but she did not move.
Obi Wan quickly made it over to Anakin, as the others stood back and watched. He placed his hand on Padme's forehead, and closed his eyes, desperately trying to find her lifeforce. He found it, but it was very weak, and quickly fading. He opened his eyes and turned to Anakin.
"Anakin, I don't think we can get her to a med facility in time. Her lifeforce is fading too quickly" He said, tears forming in his eyes as well as he realised that she would die.
Master Yoda hung his head in sadness as he realised it as well. Even master Windu felt a great deal of sadness for Anakin. Though he probably never would admit it, he realised he was wrong. Though it was against the code, Anakin had found love and happiness, and even strength. Maybe he had been to hard on Anakin after all. Maybe, he was the chosen one after all.
"No, we have to try" Anakin said softly. "I can't lose them, I can't" he sobbed softly, as he turned up to his former master. Obi Wan said nothing, trying to hold his tears back as he watched his friend look back down at his wife and sobbed even more. He placed his hand on his best friends shoulder and squeezed if firmly.
"Use me".
They both turned to see Jake, who had knelt down silently behind them. "What" Anakin asked.
"Use me. Transfer my lifeforce to her, I may not have much more time left either" he said softly, as he gestured towards his wound.
"I can't. I don't know how" Anakin replied weakly.
"Well from what you told me that happened on Mortis. And from what I just saw. I think you can" he said smiling weakly.
"Are you sure about this Jake" Obi Wan asked.
"Absolutely. If it means that my friend...and the future of the Jedi can live on, than I will gladly sacrifice myself for that".
Anakin and Obi Wan looked at each other for a moment. They knew that this would probably be their only option to save Padme. Anakin looked back to Jake, "Alright" he said softly.
Jake nodded slowly, as he proceeded to lay down on the floor. Obi Wan took Padme from Anakin and laid her down next to Jake, only half an arms length from him. Anakin knelt down between them and placed a hand on each of their foreheads, and closed his eyes, reaching deeply into the force.
After a few moments, two blueish green auroras of light started to appear around the two figures on the ground. Soon, beams of the same light started to twirl up Anakin's arms and swirl around him. Jake and Padme soon started to levitate, as the light beams continued to swirl around them.
Then, as quickly as it began, it ended. Their bodies slowly set back down, as the aurora's disappeared.
Anakin opened his eyes, and reached over to check Jake. There he lay, his body motionless. His eyes closed, and Anakin noticed that there was a smile on Jake's face. He had been at peace with this, with something that probably very few Jedi in the entire history of the order would have done.
He turned quickly, as he heard Padme begin to slowly wake up. He scooped her up in his arms and cradled her, kissing her forehead and crying tears of joy.
Obi Wan smile happily and he finally let his tears fall, as he watched his friend hold and love his wife. He let out a sigh of relief, as he turned and saw the sun fully set over the horizon.
The sun had set on the day of the fall of the sith, the sacrifice of a Jedi, the end of the old evil, and the beginning of new good.