TRANSFORMED.
During a mission, Anakin is gravely injured - and presumed dead. When he regains consciousness completely healed, he returns to Coruscant, unaware of the life altering change he has gone through.(Set after the events on Mortis.)
CHAPTER NINE.
Padme gaped in horror as Anakin ran, "did he just say...?" No, it couldn't be? Anakin had to be mistaken, he had to be wrong.
"Stay here," obi-wan told her as he, Master Windu and Master Yoda ran out, following Anakin.
her eyes wide, Padme sunk back into the seat, her breath shook with shock and fear. This was the worst news, the worst possible discovery. Chancellor Palpatine, was a Sith Lord? He controlled the Senate... had been using that power to not only create a war, but also to ensure the war's continuation.
Sobbing, Padme put her head in her hands. She couldn't believe it had come to this.
x
Running through the Temple, Anakin shook his head, they should have known, should have figured it out sooner. Chancellor Palpatine, the evil Sith Lord Dooku had warned them about. Darth Sidious. taking a deep breath, Anakin pushed himself to run faster, he had to get to Palpatine's office before the Sith Lord realised he was coming.
It was the simple, powerful desire that triggered it. Anakin felt the Force tremor, then his vision blurred slightly. When it cleared, he was standing in Palpatine's office.
x
Obi-wan came to a sudden, shocked standstill as he watched Anakin disappear. Gaping, he shook his head. "how many new powers does he have?" Instantaneous healing, incredible sensing combined with precognition... And now teleportation.
"There's only one place he would want to be." The Chancellor's office. Master Windu shook his head, "if we're going to help him defeat Palpatine, we'd best hurry."
xx
"It's you."
Palpatine's head snapped up, he hadn't noticed Anakin standing in front of him. "Anakin, what a pleasant surprise_"
"You can cut the act, " Anakin's voice was a low growl, "we know you're a Sith Lord." The Sith Lord, the one they had been searching for.
Just like that, Palpatine's entire demeanor changed. "So you have discovered my secret," he raised his eyebrows, "have you come to kill me?"
Anakin's lightsaber ignited, "you created the war, so you could gain enough power in the Senate to become Emperor." It wasn't a question, Anakin knew it was true, could see every possibly way that Palpatine could have risen to rule the Galaxy.
The red lightsaber extended, "we all must have our goals in life." Palpatine scowled, "it not for you, my plans would have gone unnoticed."
"You were using me," Anakin stared into Palpatine's eyes, "I was just another means for you to gain more power." He could see the truth of it now, could see himself joining Palpatine, becoming a Sith Lord. "You would have destroyed me."
"I could have given you powers beyond your imagining."
Anakin snorted and spread his hands, "bit late for that, don't you think?"
Palpatine sighed, "then I guess there is but one course of action now." He sprang at Anakin, his face twisting with fury, "I must destroy you!"
x
Padme sobbed, her eyes closed as she shook her head. She still couldn't believe it, couldn't take it in. Chancellor Palpatine, a man she had trusted and respected, was their greatest enemy.
She gasped as she felt the painful cramp. At least she thought it was a cramp, until another more painful 'cramp' followed it. Her eyes widened in fear, they weren't cramps, they were contractions she had gone into labour!
It was too soon though, her baby, her's and Anakin's daughter would never survive if she was born now. Struggling to stand, Padme clutched her abdomen. She had to get help_
As the next contraction came, her knees gave way. Crying out in pain, Padme squeezed her eyes shut and silently prayed for a miracle.
xx
They fought out into the wide hallway, two incredibly powerful warriors. Neither one noticed the shocked senators around them, they were completely focused on their fight.
"You can't win," Anakin actually grinned, "I can see every move you're going to make before the thought enters your mind."
he was struggling to keep pace with Anakin's attacks, Palpatine shook his head. "You will not defeat me Anakin," he snapped, "unlike you, I have control of my powers." It was that control that would enable him to win.
Padme cried in pain, her hands clutching her abdomen as a powerful contraction came over her...
Anakin blinked, ducking the savage swipe from Palpatine even as his mind screamed in horror. Padme was in labour, their daughter was going to be born - four months early - She would never survive, wouldn't be developed enough to live... Unless... No, if he left now, Palpatine would escape, he would raise a Sith Army to bring the Jedi - the Galaxy - to its knees. And if he stayed, if he defeat Palpatine... his daughter would die.
x
Obi-wan flew fast, towards the Senate Building, Master Yoda and Master Windu were in an airspeeder behind him. They had to make it, had to at least see the fight, even if they couldn't aid Anakin, they still needed to be there_
Palpatine ran out of the Senate building and into a waiting shuttle, Obi-wan frowned when Anakin didn't follow. "What is he doing?" How could Anakin let Palpatine go? What could make him forget his duty?
It didn't matter, as the shuttle took off, Obi-wan pushed the thrusters forward, giving chase to the fleeing Sith Lord.
xx
The air around her rippled slightly, then Anakin was there. Padme sobbed in pain and fear, "Anim it's too soon." Their daughter was going to die.
Anakin shook his head, "it's alright Padme." he knelt beside her, "it's going to be fine." He reached for her, laying his hands over her abdomen that had only just started to swell as their baby grew.
Blinding light instantly flared around her, exactly how Rex had described it.
Anakin's face creased with concentration as the power was ripped out of him, this time though, he controlled it, focused it on his duaghter, shaping it to his will - to speed her development.
Padme watched as her belly swelled, growing larger with every passing second. She gasped in pain as another contraction began, even as she realised just what Anakin was doing; he was saving their baby... And it was weakening him.
He felt so weak, so tired... Just a little more, then he could stop. A little more and their baby would survive. It was so hard though, the powerful healing was literally draining his life, and now that he was 'controlling' it, it weakened him that much faster.
"Ani, stop!" he was giving too much, "Anakin!" She tried to pulled away, tried to push him back when that failed_
He crumpled sideways, his eyes sliding shut; his face had gone deathly pale, his breathing so shallow she could barely see it.
x
They had been too late by a second. Obi-wan watched as the shuttle Palpatine had stolen, rocketed away. They had failed, Palpatine had escaped.
"I thought Skywalker was going to stop him." Master Windu stood beside Obi-wan and Yoda as they watched the shuttle disappear.
Obi-wan shook his head, what could have made Anakin leave? Why would he choose to abandon his fight when he knew what was at stake?
"Obi-wan, I need help!"
Obi-wan frowned, "what's wrong Padme?"
"I went into labour," the senator's voice was hysterical, "Anakin came, he used his healing power to save our baby."
she didn't need to explain anymore then that, "how bad is he?"
"The same as last time," Padme cried, "he's in a coma again."