Star Wars: Crosscurrent: Betrayal

Star Wars: Crosscurrent

Chapter 12

Twisted Mirror

Hyperspace- Unkown Ship En Route to Naboo

Sidious swelled with pride at his greatest accomplishment. He now had the power of Anakin's body. With Anakin's awesome force potential represented in this clone body, he felt powerful. Much more powerful than he did in his original body. With 20,000 midichlorians per cell coursing through his whole being, he was going to plunge this world into darkness. 16 years ago, Anakin Skywalker had thwarted his most prized would-be accomplishment. The creation of an empire under everyone's nose. But he just couldn't figure out why Anakin did not turn. He had everything planned. He even had Anakin's new life support suit, knowing full well that if Anakin were to fight Obi-Wan, he would have been defeated...

Enough with this pointless musing, thought Sidious as he sat comfortably within his customized starship. It had the appearance of a run-down cargo ship. Sidious began to meditate, utilizing the dark side to find some sort of vision...

He saw the son of Anakin, in a restless sleep, plagued by nightmares. None other than the ones I planted into his mind, no doubt, thought Sidious, full of sick pride.

About 2 hours later, his ship touched down on the tranquil plains of Naboo. Sidious hadn't really much cared to visit his home planet. It was the very opposite of his personality. What irony. Across the fields he could vaguely make out the Jedi Temple ahead. His new force ability allowed him to sense everyone inside the building, seeing as it was miles away. How in the force did Anakin have all this power and not turn?

Jedi Temple- Naboo

Anakin had made his way down to the Wing where all the the Jedi non-masters were located. He needed to find Luke. Luke seemed to be acting strange. Mirroring many things that Anakin did before his turn all those years ago...

If he had a hunch of what was going on, he hoped he was wrong. He opened the door, and checked Luke's room, but he was gone.

Where could he possibly be?

Anakin used the force as he kept walking to see if he could loacate Luke's force signature. Room of a thousand fountains. He doesn't usually go in there. As Anakin walked in ready to talk to Luke, he noticed he was talking to Mara Jade.

Anakin stayed at the doorway, arms crossed, and leisurely leaned on the wall. He smiled. What was I worried about? Probably Luke just going through puberty.

Just as he thought everything was going well, he felt a tremor in the force.

"What the kriff was that?", he thought aloud.

Feeling the tremor emanating from the entrance, he made his way to the front entrance. The force signature... It felt like

"Me? Why does this force signature have the same exact one as mine. That's not possible." It felt like his own except, it felt twisted, malevolent, evil.

"It feels like Darth Vader.", said Anakin to himself as he continued his trek to the front of the temple. Anakin called his lightsaber to his hand to be safe.

Jedi Temple Entrance- Outdoors

Sidious waited at the front of the temple, wearing a concealing brown (couldn't really black, now could he?) cloak, and a face cloth, to conceal the new features of his face. Sidious was done playing games today. Too much planning was wasted the first time, trying to achieve his Empire. Now, frankly, he just didn't have the patience to try again. He was going to find a way to get rid of Anakin, and when the apparent battle garnered enough attention, the confusion would allow him to make it seem as though Anakin Skywalker has turned on his family, when Sidious gains victory. He could sense that someone was making his way quickly towards the entrance. Too bad Anakin's wife Amidala was not present at the temple at the moment. He just knew that disposing of her today would have saved him alot of grief in the future.

Anakin finally reached the front of the complex. At the base of the steps stood a lone figure. Anakin was confused by the person's force signature. It was the same as his.

"Who are you!", yelled Anakin from the top of the stairs, not really one for tact.

The figure didn't say anything. He just stood there. Even though Anakinh couldn't see his face, it seemed as though he was staring straight at him.

"Do you know why I am here?", asked the figure.

Anakin knitted his eyebrows. He sounded exactlty like himself. Who was this person?

"I'm not going to repeat myself. Who. Are. You?", Anakin countered, losing his patience.

Once agin the figure just stood there. Finally, he lowered his arm, and a red blade came forth, with the handle hidden under the sleeve.

For some reason, Anakin didn't seem completely surprised.

"You're a Sith aren't you?", asked Anakin, as he walked down the steps, lightsaber handle ready.

The figure's answer was a startlingly large corkscrew jump, blade extended, aiming for his adam's apple.

Anakin reflexively activated his lightsaber, with a loud snap-hiss as he raised the handle, blocking an attack that would have otherwise liberated his head from his shoulders.

This man's fighting style is familiar somehow, thought Anakin as he blocked numerous attacks that he was finding trouble keeping up with.

"What's the matter", said the figure. "Having trouble defeating me for a second time?"

Second time, wondered Anakin. Who is this guy, repeated Anakin to himself for the thousandth time.

Blades met, disengaged, and locked again in a fast paced sword fight to the death. Over the years, Anakin's fighting style had become much more relaxed and precise. However, this didn't seem much of an advantage compared to his opponent. This mysterious man fought like a high-level swordsman.

Anakin ducked under a sweeping blade aimed at his head, then attempted to immobilize said attacker with a thrust to his shoulder. The opponent effortlessly dodged the attack, with a backwards side step.

This opponent was managing to get him slightly peeved. He decided to find out who this attacker was. As he rolled to the left of the attacker, as the opponent attempted a lightsaber twirl, Anakin did a feint with the blade, then grabbed the face cover the man was wearing.

He was shocked at what he saw.

Himself.