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Weaker than the powerless is he who has power and refuses to use it. – Old Sith Proverb

Chapter Eleven

"Any survivors here?" The call was distant and barely clear.

They stared at one another for a long minute, until Anakin cleared his throat, rubbed his head, looked away, and said, "I think that's the Sars…"

Palpatine studied the side of the Jedi's face. What he saw was an uneasy mixture of fear and anger. But there was hesitation too, in the way Skywalker's hands twisted together as though seeking something solid like a lightsaber. Good luck there. He waited. The silence stretched out another minute. The SAR shout came again, and when Anakin still floundered, he prodded, "I suppose then… we ought to call for help?"

Anakin turned full on him, eyes sparking to life with confused rage. "How can you just say that? I can't! You're the Sith Lord! I should be calling the other Jedi, not rescue help!"

A stressful night combined with a waffling Jedi made for a short fuse on Palpatine's temper. He snapped out with his own significant anger, "Anakin, we can discuss our respective views of the Force when we are out of this hanging death trap, but –"

"No!" The shout startled him, and before he fully grasped the situation, he was dangling in Anakin's iron fingers, buried in his collar and fastened to his neck. Anakin pushed them both back until Palpatine was pinned between him and the slanted wall. The Dark Lord snarled when he felt the pressure on his throat and the fiery agony in his legs, struggling to push the pain to the back of his mind and focus on the greater threat.

He pushed against Skywalker's arms, but they were immovable short of using the Dark Side. "Anakin, what are you doing? Let go of me!" he wheezed out.

Anakin's blazing blue eyes were inches from his own as he growled, "No! No. Not until I have answers from you! And I will get them if I have to -" his voice drifted away, but his hands squeezed again, and Palpatine hissed. The claws loosened.

He managed at last to speak. "To what? Hurt me? Kill me? Anakin, listen to yourself and calm down. You don't need to threaten me to get answers. They've always been here. You need only ask."

"Why did you never say anything then? Why have you lied to me?"

He tried so hard to overcome the serum. "Anakin, I have n… ha…" And failed. So he decided to bypass it. "Think of it this way, my boy. Do you think I would have been long for this world if the Jedi knew of my existence? They are relentless against the Sith."

Anakin pulled him back and roughly slammed him against the wall again. Sidious nearly bit his tongue at the fireworks that exploded through his brain, and he was unprepared for the raw pain in the Jedi's reply. "Because you are the servants of the Dark Side! You seek to bring chaos and pain to the Republic! I'm sick of chaos and pain! I'm sick of what you've done to us!"

What I have done? Dear boy, I am only beginning. "We've been over this before, Anakin. Pain will always accompany new birth. But out of chaos is born order, order of your own power, order of whatever you desire. The Republic is stagnate and dissolving, a slow and ugly death." He leaned toward Skywalker, let his voice lower to a confidential, friendly urging. "I say…let it. Help it to its grave, so fewer may suffer."

Anakin's grip became lighter again, his mouth opening in shock. "I still can't believe what you're saying!"

"It is painful, doubtless, but you know this. Sacrifices must sometimes be made for the greater good," the pain rolling over him was nearly enough to sidetrack him, but Sidious refused to let the Jedi have the last word. So much was at stake here tonight. If only he could clear his mind. If only the SARs would get here. He could still hear them, coming closer and still shouting for survivors.

Anakin was not listening to reason at the moment. In fact, he appeared to grow more incensed. Palpatine watched his eyes narrow and the lips draw back, almost in slow motion. Such glorious anger, but so misplaced. "Good? Good! You don't know what that is, you snake!"

The anger began to seep into Palpatine. Had he full possession of his faculties, such temptation would have been easily overcome. Alas, he was still recovering, and the anger felt so soothing, so normal, so right. Why were these infernal Jedi so obsessed with semantics? Something in the back of his mind told him not to take the bait, but his expression soon matched Anakin's. "Really? Good? Evil? Is everything so black and white to you? Don't you lie now! Don't tell me you see through the blind eyes of the Jedi! I have always shown you the vibrant colors of a larger world. Are you perfect?"

"No…" Anakin hesitated.

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

Anakin reeled back, lowering Palpatine until his feet dragged the tilted floor. "Yes…but it was self defense! I am a soldier and a Jedi!"

The new wave of pain in his dangling legs pushed him on with an unholy and faint smile. "And a murderer of women and children, am I not right?"

"You!" Anakin's mouth contorted, and he threw Palpatine back from him, launching the Chancellor into the ruined wall.

Palpatine couldn't help the cry of pain that escaped him, or the fit of coughing as he landed in the dusty rubble. His hands twitched as he wrestled control of his body back to himself, panting with the exertion. Perhaps that went a little far. You really should turn it away from you. It is much too early for this…but did you ever feel such sweet hate?

He finally became aware that Anakin was standing over him, nearly shouting down at him. He struggled to tune in. "You made me do it! You made me kill him!"

What an irresponsible dolt. Such power and he won't even take the reins. "I ….eeh… have a greater opinion of you than that, Anakin. You are not a puppet on a string, pulled this way and that. You make your choices, and you are stronger for it. I have encouraged you to find the truth, yes. Do not blame me for Dooku's death. And certainly not for the Tusken Raiders!" That at least, was the truth.

Anakin had grown quiet, and Palpatine could sense an encouraging tendril of sorrow. "I did make my choice," the Jedi mourned. "My choice to trust you! And I will likely regret that choice every day of my life."

Slowly, the Chancellor forced himself to sit up straight, tucking his legs under him and ignoring his body's protest. His face schooled into a solemn mask, Palpatine adopted a gentle tone. "But I know you, Anakin. I know you. And I know you are in great pain, because you are tearing yourself in two, my boy. You seek the role of an emotionless Jedi, but you are Life itself, living and breathing and being. You seek a life of meaning and purpose, something mightier than endless meditation. The Sith acknowledge such a love of life. We are not afraid of ourselves."

Anakin got defensive at that. "How can the Dark Side embrace life? Look around us! Look at what you have done!"

Palpatine let the anger go, just barely. He waved at the surrounding debris, patted the jagged beam at his side. "This? I have not 'done' this! I stopped this!"

That stopped Anakin. "What?"

"The opera house was collapsing. It would have reached the bottom of Coruscant by now, had I been afraid to meet my true feelings, my true nature. But I was not afraid of my power, Anakin, and I held back complete destruction."

"You…stopped the entire opera house from falling?" Anakin's dumb look of ill-concealed awe could have rivaled Jar Jar Bink's.

With some help from the neighboring structures, but he managed to suppress the thought at last."The Dark Side is a pathway to many abilities, some considered to be…unnatural."

"That is more than even Master Yoda could do! That's impossible!"

Palpatine sighed, longsuffering, indulgent. "Look for yourself. Sense for yourself, I beg you. It has been said and seen, that the Dark Side can save what you treasure, save it from even death itself. I saved you tonight!"

Anakin stepped back from him and knelt down. A flickering gleam of something hopeful appeared in his eyes. Palpatine felt the future shudder around him. Weak, but growing stronger with every passing moment. "Have you seen this?"

Time to be careful. "Seen what?"

"Have you seen the Dark Side give life?"

Well, there was no way of getting around that one with any subtlety. "Yes."

"Who!" Anakin leaned in, his anger forgotten in the tidal wave of anticipation sweeping over his hunched body.

"My master."

All of the Jedi's suspicion of the Sith returned in full. "Liar!" he spat.

In light of the situation, Palpatine wanted to release his Sith Lightning on the boy, but he withheld his displeasure. He was not strong enough yet. "Anakin, I have no choice but to tell you the truth! You have me at a distinct disadvantage. His name was Darth Plagueis, capable of reversing the very flow of decay."

Anakin struggled to hold in his question. He managed for perhaps ten seconds before it burst from his lips. "Could he save someone who was sick? Who was dying?"

As Palpatine studied him, his tired mind finally realized: Padme Amidala. This is my chance. Do not fail. "I saw him bring back beings from among the dead. He was powerful indeed, and he taught me almost everything he knew."

"Almost?" Anakin latched onto the word.

"…he was…prematurely killed…before he could pass the entirety of his knowledge on." I was younger and still drunk on my power. We all make mistakes. It was only a short time after the murder that Palpatine had realized the depths of Plagueis' guarded secrets.

"And, do you know enough? Could you do it?" Anakin was nearly cutting him off with his eagerness. Palpatine was pleased by such consuming desire, such selfish hopes, but an issue still remained in the room.

"A pointless question if you intend on turning me over to the Jedi, Anakin, but I am close to completing my studies of Plagueis' manipulations."

"That's not what I asked! Could you do it? Could you save someone from dying?"

How terribly he wished to gaze into Anakin's eyes and promise: Yes, I can save her. I can save everyone you hold dear. Just take the dark side as your ally, and I will give you anything. And the cursed serum forced from his lips instead: "I do not know."

Because, he did not. He did not yet know enough, and that disturbed him.

Anakin sank back on his heels in disbelief. "You don't know?"

"But with your help, I believe we can find the answers, Anakin, and soon!"

The Jedi recoiled, then surged forward and grasped Palpatine's arms. "I can't help you! You're evil!"

Palpatine paid no heed to the vice grip. "Morality is a luxury of the privileged, Anakin. Can you afford to pass this chance by? Think of all that is at stake. Think of the dying you might have saved. Think of the dying you could still save. Are they unworthy of your best efforts? Are you unwilling to risk everything for what you truly love?" His words went deep, and he knew the boy was in pain. The pain of new birth, perhaps? Too soon to tell.

Anakin flinched as though physically struck, both hands flexing. Palpatine winced. "I am willing! I would do anything for h – I would do almost anything, but what you are suggesting would mean turning on the Jedi. Going back on everything I am."

"You are no mediocre Jedi." And he meant every word.

His words were a final condemnation, for at that moment, a large circular portion of the wall just above and to the right exploded inward, and SAR troopers were suddenly dropping down through the hole, guns up and footing firm as they landed.

The room became host to a cacophony of sounds.

"Put your hands in the air!"

"Riley! We've got the assassin!"

"It's a…Jedi?"

"That's impossible!"

"Quiet, Crik!"

One trooper pulled Anakin roughly away from the Chancellor, pushing him almost to the floor. "Put your hands high, Jedi," he barked through the helmet. "You've had enough fun!"

Anakin was indignant at this treatment, surging to his feet and advancing on the trooper. "Wait…I'm not. He's –" He stopped when the gun leveled on his chest, ill at ease without his lightsaber. "Hold on! It isn't like that!"

The trooper scoffed and never lowered the gun. "Whatever. It doesn't look good, kid. Move away from the Chancellor. Slowly now."

Another trooper activated his comlink as Anakin backed up. "We have located Sistros. Sistros is alive. Prepare transport on the south side. Over."

One trooper trained his floodlight on the Jedi and nearly dropped it in surprise. "Hey, isn't that General Skywalker? The Jedi? What's he doing here?"

The closest trooper appeared to be the commander, pointing at the questioning underling. "Don't know, don't care. Our concern is the Chancellor. Let's get him out to safety, and put this lousy rat under arrest. Moat, call in for some regulars. Jedi, turn around and get down on the floor, careful now."

Anakin huffed angrily and resumed his step forward. "You don't understand! I'm not –"

"Hey! Get down now! Down! Down!" The commander shouted , and the others moved in close, training their guns on his chest and preparing to open fire. Men shouted. Radios squawked. Anakin hesitated for a moment.

In that dangerous moment, time seemed to stop, and from his place on the floor, Palpatine's sluggish brain became crystal clear. Before him hovered a golden chance, a chance to remove all the problems of the night in one fell swoop. A chance to cover his back and fall back into the shadows, unnoticed and controlling. Granted, his search for a new apprentice would take time and effort, but to hold his silence…would mean the death of the Chosen One, the death of the one that might reveal him to his enemies, the one that might undo the Sith as Plagueis had feared. Here was his chance to undo Anakin Skywalker, golden Jedi. Here was the moment in which to play it safe and guarantee the future of his Order. He need only be mute.

But here also was the chance to throw his plans into chaos, for he too had chosen Anakin Skywalker, and he did not choose lightly. Skywalker would become a great Sith, more powerful perhaps than even Sidious. They could rule in peace and power, cleansing the worlds of Jedi and corrupt politician alike. He would at last control the galaxy, the ambition of every Sith. The goal of every dark mind would be his with the aid of this petulant and powerful man. He would have an apprentice to rival all others, a steel vessel in which to pour all the power of the Dark Side. He would have a servant to carry out his every bidding, a confident with which to share his darkest dreams. He need only call out.

He chose his future with all the confidence of his power and without regret.

"Halt at once!"

While the other troops kept their small but deadly blasters trained on Skywalker, the commander turned sharply on his heel. "Sir?" he asked as he stepped forward, stretching out an arm when he saw Palpatine attempting to drag himself closer. "Stay down, sir, he's dangerous!"

Not like I will be if you do not cease. Palpatine gritted his teeth. "Do not harm him! He is not the assassin!" Behind them all, Anakin was standing stock still, his fear transforming to open confusion. Palpatine knew why. He expected me to have him killed. Hah, you only wish you could be such a threat. Well, not to me.

The commander had stopped just short of grabbing the Chancellor. His helmet masked his face, but his skepticism was obvious. "Your Excellency, are you sure? He was threatening you. Are you all right?"

Palpatine could not stop his frustration from showing. "A disagreement of sorts. I hope we have come to an understanding, but either way, you will not harm him, Commander. That is a direct order from your Supreme Chancellor."

The SAR leader stiffened and saluted. "Yes, sir. At ease, men," he said to the others, who only slowly lowered their guns from the Jedi and re-holstered them. Anakin began breathing again when the commander turned back to Palpatine, all business. "We need to get both of you out then."

The voice that came from behind was unexpected, subdued, defeated. "He needs the evac board…he can't walk…" Anakin explained. "He was hurt in the…collapse."

The commander nodded and spoke in his helmet. "Backboard for Sistros. I repeat, backboard for Sistros." Soon a long evac board was lowered from above, a new trooper riding on it. After the commander ran his medical scanner over the Chancellor, three troopers very carefully loaded Palpatine onto the stretcher, tying him in securely and motioning it up once again. The others led Anakin to the cable they had entered by, and soon the entire party was leaving the half-collapsed chamber. The building had mostly stabilized, but occasional chunks still dropped from above, creating a tense climb.

From the small hole the troopers had exploded into the chamber, they moved down an overturned hallway, stepping over the smashed statues of actors and the spilled trays of culinary delights. Only a few bodies remained under the glowing emergency lights, prompting Palpatine to expect that most had been evacuated in time from the building, likely during the fight between Sly Moore and himself.

The troopers had a small transport waiting at the end of the hall, which was open to the night air. From his place on the stretcher, Palpatine spotted dozens of Holonet droids and speeders buzzing around the Opera House, straining for a glimpse of the unfolding drama. Vultures, the lot of them. He would find a better use for the Holonet soon. One small droid found the small party in its lights and scurried closer. Soon it was circling in excitement, attracting a small contingent of others.

As the small transport thrummed its way up to the waiting medi-transports, Anakin moved to the Chancellor's side. The night air was alive with shouting and alarms. "You saved me again," Anakin spoke so that Palpatine could barely hear him, much less the others. "Why?"

For once, Palpatine did not fight the serum. He turned his head to regard the hovering Jedi and simply said. "It was not your destiny. You are meant for greater things."

Anakin bowed his head, his eyes almost closing. "I…can't just forget what you've told me tonight. I can't forget what you've done all these years. I should just turn you in to the Jedi. But I can't forget this either. And even if all these years have been lies, I can't forget what you were to me…" He was avoiding something, and Palpatine knew exactly what.

He needs me. To help her.

"Anakin…" His voice was old, weakened and choked by the dust in his lungs. He hardly had to work at it. Skywalker opened his eyes wide, shoulders stiff with fear and uncertainty, but with his sudden rage gone, he waited with the respect instilled in him from the years past. "Anakin…There is much we could accomplish together. So much we could achieve. You are frightened, and I will not blame you for that, yet to remain on the fence indefinitely will only destroy all you hold dear. You must do as you feel is right. But I hope you will see clearly before it is too late. For all of us."

Anakin held his gaze for several seconds, conflicted, torn. "This is not over," he finally whispered before staring down at the floor of the transport.

Certainly not, my boy.

They said nothing more in the trip up to the former platform of the Opera House. Medical teams were everywhere, treating dozens of senators and hundreds of important dignitaries. The interns and staff members were milling about their respective leaders, wringing their hands and tentacles in helpless worry. When the Chancellor's transport landed, the troopers immediately leapt down to clear a large circle, aggressively shoving the slower reporters out their path. Every recorder was starting to turn as rumors of the Chancellor's survival grew widespread.

Palpatine held his silence as they unloaded him from the small SAR ship and began moving him toward a state-of-the-art medical transport. To his right, he could see the distraught lover of Romeo Treblanc sobbing into the shoulder of a nervous aide – to his left, a single broken Mon Calamari and perhaps the stage's sole survivor of the tragic night. He forced his tired mind away from the pain surrounding him to ponder his next move, even as he spotted Sate Pestage pushing through the troopers, flashing his ID badge to the soldiers with impunity.

The slightly older man reached his side with impressive speed, stretching out a hand to touch Palpatine's arm and gently take hold. Normally, Palpatine would have shrugged him away, but genuine concern blossomed in the dark eyes, and he wondered at this. In truth, he had done little to gain such loyalty from this man, but Pestage had latched onto him from the beginning with all the intensity of a Nubian zalaaca. Something Sidious did not fully understand, but he trusted it. Even now, as he probed with the returning Force, there was no deceit in Pestage, only an angry and jealous protectiveness.

Was the man nearly crying? "Excellency," Pestage choked out, "I tried to tell them you are in no condition to speak with them, but they are impossible!"

His mind foggy, Palpatine saw them before he understood his servant. Jedi. A substantial number of them. Striding firmly across the platform. Focused on him.

How delightful.

If presidents get code names, so does Palpatine. And I have returned from a long vacation of no internet . Who would have thought Sith get addicted to such trivial things? And wow, 6 fine reviews on my last chapter! Enjoy another extra long one in thanks. As the Force returns to him, Palpatine is finding it a little easier to work around the serum, but it's still hijacking him now and then. Now in the last chapter, for anyone wondering about Palpatine being a true Sith, keep in mind that different definitions of "care" may have been envisioned by Anakin and Palpatine in their discussion. Nothing is ever too straightforward when you put Jedi and Sith together to play. Read and review! Let me know what you think! :)