Chapter 11
"What is going on over there, Sabé?" Padmé spoke up; pointing to a large line of people within the ancient Sith temple complex she had directed them to. Anakin and Padmé had followed Sabé past this line as she led them to her Master, both Jedi padawans unable to miss that in the torchlight of the darkened halls, the eyes of all around them gleamed with an odd yellow color. However, it was not until they reached the front of this line that Padmé had enquired about its purpose. At the front of the line stood two people, one was kneeling before the other who was using some sort of dropper to place a liquid inside the other's eyes.
"My Master will explain everything once we reach him." Sabé continued to walk forward, her monotone voice echoing eerily throughout the temple's halls. Despite the volume of people filtering in and out of the temple, there was very little noise except for the sound of footsteps. No other people seemed to be conversing with one another. The people were like rudimentary droids, finishing one task before silently and unquestionably moving on to another.
"But…." Padmé began, only to be stopped as Sabé spun around to face her. At the sight of the young woman's eyes glowing with a more intense yellow, Anakin reflexively grabbed Padmé's upper arm, prepared to pull her backwards so he could defend against an attack.
"I cannot answer; my Master will explain everything to you as he does to all who come here." Without sparing another glace at her Jedi guests, Sabé turned on her heel and continued to walk down the large hall of the Temple complex.
"Let go of me!" Padmé jerked her arm out sharply to break Anakin's grasp, casting her companion an irritated glance.
Anakin ignored Padmé's request and tightened his hold as he scanned the area. He called upon the Force to enhance his senses as he mentally prepared for an attack. It was obvious there was something wrong on Yavin 4 and this Lord Sidious, that they were being led to, was probably the culprit. Without thinking, Anakin whispered back to Padmé. "Stay close to me, I'll protect you."
Padmé cast a disgusted look up at Anakin as she gave another wrench to tug her arm free from his grasp before tersely whispering, "I do not need your protection! I am a Jedi too! I am quite capable of taking care of myself."
Padmé's angry retort drew Anakin out of the fog his mind had entered as he was taking in his surroundings. Gone was his momentary need to protect his companion, replaced with his wish that she was nowhere near him. Giving a derisive snort, Anakin replied to Padmé's comment. His voice was also in a low whisper so he did not alert Sabé or any other attentive listeners, "Well, you will remember I have seen your fighting technique. You cannot blame me for not wanting you in my way when a battle ensues."
Arching an eyebrow at his insult, Padmé retorted, "Do not try anything foolish. We do not know what is going on here yet, a fight might not be necessary. And even if it was, I will make sure I am nowhere near you, I would not want your shoulder getting in the way of my blade."
Anakin cast Padmé a furious look at the reminder of her victory over him in their lightsaber duel. As if to mock him, with his attention focused on that incident, he could feel the bacta patch he had forgot to remove from his shoulder that morning. The bacta patches had sealed his wound overnight, and he could not feel anymore pain. He was lucky that the wound had not been very deep, or Padmé would have cost him the chance to go on this mission. However, he now wondered if he would have preferred a worse injury if it meant he could be away from her. At least she would not have to reapply anymore bandages for him, so they could keep some distance between them.
For the rest of their journey through the ancient Sith temple with Sabé, Anakin and Padmé maintained silence, both observing their surroundings and occasionally casting each other an irritated sidelong glance. Sabé took them deep into the temple's interior where the lighting grew dimmer. Although the jungle planet of Yavin 4 was relatively warm, these interior temple rooms were cold. Goosebumps rose on Anakin and Padmé's skin in response to the chill and the anticipation that they could both sense that they were nearing their destination.
Out of the darkness, two large durasteel doors slid open to allow Sabé and the young Jedi entry to a large throne room. As they entered through the doorway, Anakin and Padmé could just make out the form of someone sitting upon a throne atop a raised dais.
"Welcome, Jedi Skywalker and Naberrie, I have been expecting you." A cold, deadly voice sounded from the dais as the two Jedi came nearer.
"How did you…?" Both Padmé and Anakin began to ask.
"Know you were coming?" A smile crossed the gnarled features of the man as he answered the approaching Jedi. "You will find that I know all." The man paused for a moment to allow Anakin and Padmé time to reach the edge of the dais before speaking once more. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lord Sidious, Master of all you see before you. Sabé, leave us."
With a bow of respect, Sabé mindlessly walked out a side door of the throne room, leaving Anakin and Padmé alone with the mysterious man. Padmé stared into the grotesquely deformed features of the elderly man, assessing how to speak to the stranger while beside her Anakin sized up his would be opponent. The malevolent amber hue of Sidious' eyes showed no warmth or compassion, only the evil of his true intentions.
"So how did you know our names?" Anakin asked the stranger, his hand ready to grab his lightsaber if needed.
"Why should I not know the names of the two best Jedi in the order? Your skills are unmatched. I have foreseen this meeting for years. You both seek to complete your training, and only through me can you accomplish this." The icy tone of the stranger's voice sent a chill down both Anakin's and Padmé's spines, but they released their unease through the Force.
"And how is that?" Anakin's tone did not hide his skepticism at Sidious' true intentions.
A wide grin formed on Sidious' face, but he avoided Anakin's question. "You will learn that in time, but first tell me why the Jedi Council has sent you before me."
"We are looking into the…." Padmé began to speak only to be interrupted by Sidious once more.
"…disappearances of people across the galaxy. That part of your mission is complete, I am sure you saw the droves of my loyal servants on your journey here."
"So you admit to kidnapping all those people?" Anakin voice raised a few octaves in his determination to get a straight answer from the man.
"My young Jedi." Sidious answered silkily. "Go ask them how they feel about being here. I might have had to persuade them to join me once, but now they are quite eager to serve me. I am sure you saw them readily accepting the eye drops that put them under my control. Just as you will, my young apprentices." Sidious finished his statement with a smile that made Padmé and Anakin's skin crawl.
"I am sorry, but…" Padmé's response was cut short as Anakin grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him. For his part, he ignited his cerulean bladed lightsaber and held it before Sidious. "You are a Sith Lord! You might have found a way to control the minds of those people, but I can assure you that we will never join you."
Sidious simply smiled at the young Jedi's determination. "We shall see about that. I know you two do not get along and have never got along. Your anger for each other is a great source of power and I will show you how to unleash it."
"Oh, I don't think so." Anakin responded before moving his saber in a deadly strike. However, before his attack could connect, Sidious Force shoved both Anakin and Padmé away so they both landed in a heap a few yards away.
"I recommend that you two leave now before I am forced to show you the full extent of the powers of the dark side of the Force. I will be in contact with the both of you soon, to initiate you in your new allegiance." Sidious voice was casual as he spoke, but a knowing smile crossed his lips.
Springing to their feet, Anakin was the first to answer back. "We will never join you!" He then moved to charge the Sith Lord who was raising the fingertips out towards the young Jedi.
"No!" Padmé shouted, her eyes widened in horror as she saw sparks of electricity forming at the Sith's fingertips. Reflexively she Force shoved Anakin so he toppled to the floor, the Sith's lightning attack sailing over Anakin's head as he fell.
"Let's get out of here!" Padmé shouted at Anakin as she grabbed his arm and tugged him up. She began ushering him out the throne room's main doors as Sidious gave an evil cackle of maniacal laughter.
At first Anakin automatically followed Padmé as he tried to regain his bearings from her Force shove. He started to tug against her grasp to return to the fight he had started one he realized they were outside the throne room. However, the heavy doors of the throne room closed behind him, barring him reentry. Although there was a heavy door separating the two Jedi padawans from the Sith Lord, they could still here the dark lord's voice echo in the Force. "Do not worry my young apprentices, soon you will embrace the dark side and willingly serve me."
A/N: Before I get anymore notes about "why is a "Sith Lord" using eyedrops to control people when he has the Force," responses, I'll leave a brief note about it here. He is using the Force, there is more than the eyedrops working here. In that brief conversation with Anakin and Padme he did not get a chance to reveal all of what he is doing. Anakin and Padme will have some unravelling of mysteries still to do, and part of that includes how Sidious controls people since ultimately Sidious wants to control them. More will get revealed as we move along in the story, you all are just going to have to trust me for now.
