Chapter Ten
The Choice
Anakin looked at Obi Wan Kenobi, his mentor, his friend. What he said did make sense. He had a choice to make. It was the epic choice, he thought. Obi Wan or Palpatine, Good or Evil, Light or Dark was the choice he had to make. Could he have done so much to fall now? "You're wrong, Palpatine. The Jedi are keepers of the Peace," he said igniting his light saber. "You've lied to me. Obi Wan has always been honest with me," he said.
Palpatine smiled. "Have you been honest with him? Did you tell him about your mother? Your wife? Do you believe in the Jedi Code? Do you follow all the rules? You know Anakin, as I do, that the Jedi only want to keep you to themselves. That's why relationships are forbidden," he said, "To the Jedi. I told you once before. The Jedi and the Sith are similar in almost every way."
"The Sith are selfish, they think only of themselves. The Jedi are selfless, they use their power for good," Anakin argued. Anakin watched in horror as Palpatine used his power of the force to lift Obi Wan up as he ignited his red light saber at the same time.
"Join me, Anakin. Every since I've known you you've been searching for a power above an ordinary Jedi. Join me and lead my empire."
"Sounds like a dictatorship to me. You will never rule the empire. This is a democracy. The system isn't perfect, but it's better than what you're proposing. You plan to turn the entire Galatic Empire into slaves. No different than we were back in Tattooine," he said, as they began to duel.
"You are no match for the dark side, Anakin. With the power of the dark side, only then can you defeat me. Join me, and I'll let Obi-Wan live," he said, acting humane. "Together we can save Padame. Together we can save your child," he said.
"I don't need the dark side to save them. Padame would rather die than see me destroy what she's worked so hard to achieve," he said and knew it was true. He was getting the best of the Sith Lord.
Then, force lighting shook him as he fell to the floor. Obi Wan had gotten up and stood in front of Anakin, "Leave him alone, Darth Sidious," he said. He was proud of Anakin. He had resisted the dark lord's best temptations. Anakin was groaning in pain. Obi Wan would not let him down. How many times had he saved his own life? He owed Anakin, more than he could ever repay. But he would try. He would try.
"Fool," Chancellor Palpatine who was the Sith lord, Darth Sidious, snarled at Obi Wan. "You can't destroy me. The prophecy was wrong. That Jedi cannot destroy me," he said, as he came after Obi Wan with his light saber. With every move Obi Wan made, Darth Sidious matched him. He tried using the Force to throw him off balance, but it wasn't working. Anakin struggled to his feat, badly wounded, and used the force to call his light saber to him. He reignited it, and began fighting on Obi Wan's side. Darth Sidious ignored him though. He was just concentrating on Obi Wan. Other than matching Anakin's blows, he wasn't trying to hurt him. Anakin was about to end this, his light saber swung close and he cut off Darth Sidious's hand. Then, he noticed as Darth Sidious brought Obi Wan down with the force trapping him between the glass and the ground beneath. He had to make a choice. He could either kill him, or save Obi Wan.
Anakin rushed to Obi Wan's side pulling him to safety. When he turned around Darth Sidious was gone. "Anakin, he escaped," Obi Wan said. Anakin nodded. "Come on, we've got to leave. If he could convince you the Jedi were plotting against him, he'll convince the senate. Let's get the younglings to safety," he said.