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And just a reminder, this story is rated T for Teen. There will be violence in this chapter.
Chapter Fifty Five
Die
"Now let's end this."
A moment later...
Darth Sidious's golden eyes narrowed.
How long had Lord Vader been keeping up this facade? Months? Possibly years?
Questions began building in his magnificent mind.
How had Vader kept this from the medical droids?
That also meant he must have known about cameras placed all over Vader's home.
Did Amidala know? Probably.
Had Aventra? Yet she failed she to reveal this tidbit.
What else was Vader keeping from him? An another Aventra perhaps? Had he reprogrammed the medical droids somehow?
Unlikely, Darth Sidious had a safety built in so Vader could not reprogram them without his knowledge. So the medical droids did not know. The droids reported his every rise and decline in Vader's health. His vitals. His habits. Anything he might have eaten or drank, such as the ounces of wine he drank. Even the number of times he had intercourse with Amidala...supposedly, Sidious had suspected they did not actually start having relations until so many months into their marriage.
"I must say Lord Vader, most impressive. Well done." And he rarely gave compliments. He occasionally gave one to Maul. Maybe one or two to Lord Tyranus, despite his age,Maybe one or two to Tyranus. the man truly was a skilled duelist.
In fact, Darth Sidious almost clapped. Almost.
Despite all of Sidious's knowledge and power, he had not seen that coming. He should have.
He was almost...proud, but also disturbed.
Vader had used deception. Maybe he wasn't entirely hopeless after all, but that still wasn't going to make Sidious change his mind. No, regardless of Vader's little trick, he still had to die.
Sidious raised his pale slender fingers.
Blue lightening crackled from Darth Sidious's fingers. He then hurled a storm of crackling blue and violet lightning at Vader.
Vader held up his lightsaber. Teeth gritted. Doing everything he could to hold the storm at bay. His lightsaber gave him some protection, but only so much against a magnitude of Force lightning. It was not going to last.
"Your little secret won't be enough to save you Lord Vader." What a waste.
It was not first time Sidious had used Force Lightening on Vader, but it would be the last time.
The few Sidious had used Force Lightening in the past in was only for a few brief moments. He only wanted to punish or discipline Vader briefly, not severely damage him. Long periods of electrocution could result in disfigurement or death.
Presently, Sidious hoped for both.
Showing Amidala her husband's disfigured corpse would be quite amusing.
Oh, how Sidious could just hear her screams.
Even her quiet somber emotions would be enough to suffice him.
Speaking of Amidala, what would he do with her after this?
"Maybe this time I won't give her to one being." He goaded with sinister smile plastered across his face. "Maybe the officers could take turns." Maybe he would even take his turn. He had not been with a female in quite some time. Then be done with her.
Or would he lock her away until the twin offspring were old enough to kill her.
Yes...
"NO!" Vader roared behind his crimson blade and through the zaps of blue bolts. "She's no longer yours to torment."
"Everyone is mine to torment." Darth Sidious growled. "The Galaxy is mine." He bellowed. "Everything and everyone in it is mine."
More lightning was starting to seep through.
Vader could no longer contain the agony, finally howling in pain. "AHHHAAHHH!"
"Oh, poor Vader." Darth Sidious said with glee. He had not heard Vader scream since he was a boy. He had always put up such a brave front. "All alone. No mother. No apprentice. No wife. No one...no one to save you."
"WRONG!" Someone shouted. "He's not alone!"
Darth Sidious nearly muttered an "oh, no" as he looked to see who it was.
The being he hated most in the whole Galaxy.
The last living reminder of his father.
Amidala.
She wore a simple black jumpsuit and a grey utility belt with an off-black shawl, and sported an intricately looped hairstyle which kept her hair at the back of her head in a bun and out of the way, thus preparing her for action. In addition, she wore a silver armband that signified her political service. Her brown-colored boots included light shin armor and a firm grip.
And like she always had, she had come to spoil everything.
Not today.
As soon as Vader was detained or even dead, he would deal with this pest.
Marching into the Throne Room, into this battle, Padmé did not know what she was thinking.
She had always been fearless. This was probably boarding on sheer madness. Some had argued she had begun to lose it after Varykino, perhaps they were right.
Enough of them.
She could do this.
She would do this.
She would distract Palpatine.
Somehow.
She supposed her presence would do that.
But then what?
He was bound to kill her, or kill Vader then her...or the other way around.
Okay, think.
How could she help Vader?
Luke... Leia... No... Can't...
...and how could she not think about today's outcome?
What Padmé was not thinking about was the future and more importantly, the twins. She did not want Palpatine to sense that they were in thoughts. For if won this final battle for the Throne, he would want them. After searching high and low, for the rest of his potentially indefinite reign. She planned to make sure that would happen. However, if Vader fell by Palpatine's hand, she would bite down and hard on the emergency poison chip plated in the back of her mouth, it would kill her in less than five seconds.
If Vader won, then that was a far better outcome than Palpatine...wasn't it? Padmé was not entirely convinced. She feared he would sink too far into madness. Into the Dark Side. She would decide immediately and if necessary kill him while he was still drunk on his newfound victory.
Take the Throne for herself, but without Vader that would be extremely dangerous.
If it became too dangerous and messy, she may disappear into the night and reunite with her beloved twins.
Could she do that? Give up the Throne, everything she worked long and hard for? For those two small bundles?
...yes.
No, she must not think of them.
Truth be told, she did not even know where they were, but they were hopefully off world by now. Going in separate directions as she instructed her handmaiden.
She just sent Dormé off with the twins. She would keep one child, find and give another to Mother. Then they would each go as far away as possible and hide. If she and Vader lived, they were instructed to come out of hiding as soon as possible. Unless Padmé said a certain phrase in public, it was insurance, should Vader fall too deep into darkness. She would do everything to make sure Luke and Leia grew happy and far away from the Dark Side.
Padmé did not know if it would work.
Palpatine had spies everywhere. So did Vader.
But she would do everything she could.
But if she were to die, she at least die with hope that her children had a fighting chance to escape Palpatine's clutches.
Use your surroundings.
Using both her hands, Padmé began firing up into the air.
At first it did little damage and only puzzled glances from Palpatine.
After dozens of shots the ceiling began to make a noise.
Crack!
The stone began to crumble.
Then fall.
Padmé began running. She was going to need cover. Which the Throne Room did not really feature, there were some pillars.
She looked around frantically. The strongest object was of course, the Throne itself.
Sidious had no choice but to stop electrocuting Vader, who slumped onto the floor.
He had no desire to be crushed by pieces of the ceiling.
Using the Force, he stopped them mid air. The pieces of stone and duracrete ranged from large to small.
Holding the smaller pieces in the air with his left hand, Sidious closed his eyes as he used his right hand to place the largest piece atop of Lord Vader. Between the pain of the electrocution he was not going anywhere. Regardless, Sidious was taking no chances and placed the large, maybe three hundred pound piece of duracrete on top of Vader's chest. Who knows, maybe it would crush and kill him. Wouldn't that be lovely, but no, Sidious could still sense Vader's life Force.
Opening his eyes, he shot the smaller pieces at Amidala, who cowered behind the Throne.
His Throne.
What was she up to?
As he looked down to brush the dust from his robe, he asked, "Do you really think you can stop me?"
"My dear brother, I'm not here to stop you." Amidala said mysteriously, "Just distract you."
Sidious raised his head.
From what?
Crack!
The largest window in the Throne Room shattered.
Bang! Bang!
Twin cables flew past the broken glass and clung tightly to the wall.
Blue blaster bolts began filling up the Throne Room.
One might think the source was a small garrison of troops, but no.
Just two.
Two was enough.
Two lone Clone Troopers flew into the room sliding down some cables they had fired into the room.
This was bloody clanking insane.
Firing against Emperor Palpatine.
The Emperor.
Again, insane.
Too late now. They had already landed on the Throne Room floor and untied their safety straps.
"GUARDS!" Emperor Palpatine cried as he scurried out of the way of the blaster fire.
Alerting his famous Crimson Red Guards just outside the doorway. Dealing with these Troopers was beneath him. He looked back at Vader and the Throne where Amidala hid, he had bigger problems.
Rex and Cody kept firing. Fingers never leaving the triggers of the blasters.
They were all surely going to die.
Why had they agree to this again?
Grand Vizier Amidala-Vader persuaded them to join them in battle against the Emperor. They could have said no. That was their right. Lady Vader even gave them that option. Which they were going, until she had pointed out if she and Vader died today, there was a good chance they would also be killed since the Emperor would likely wipe out any beings connected to them. At best, they could hope to go back to their old lives as disgraced Troopers.
No way were they were going back to that nightmare. They would rather die.
Even so was it still right? Rex and Cody hadn't been sure exactly what they were going to do, but they weren't going to let Lady Vader die. However, they were not supposed to fight with fellow troopers or any Imperials, especially the ones who out ranked them. Like the Emperor's Crimson Red Guards.
"We'll make an exception." They said to Lady Vader.
Currnetly, six Red Crimson Guards raced their way.
Outnumbered.
It was only a fool's chance.
Again they kept firing.
Cody managed to shoot one of them down. First, by shooting him in the legs and then twice to the chest and head.
Rex managed to injure three, but regardless, they kept right on running.
As for the other two, they led the pack. Nothing was standing in their way. They had a duty.
So did Cody and Rex. They were threatening the life of the Grand Vizier, who Lord Vader had instructed them to protect with their dying breathes. Even from their Lord and Emperor Palpatine.
Cody grinned, "Light 'em up."
Rex nodded. Flipping the switch on his flamethrower pack.
Whoooosh!
The two leads fell to flames.
The remaining trio zig zagged. Going left and right to avoid the flames.
Rex moved the heavy projector that resembled a bulbous blaster rifle in the direction of the pair of guards on the left.
He got one of the them, but the other managed to duck behind his fallen comrade.
The guard put up a fight. Using a series of punch and kicks.
Rex managed to dodge them them and was able to fire his flamethrower once more.
The guard ducked and moved, but in the end, his robes caught fire.
Rex watched from meters away where the guard finally fell to the floor, where he was roasted do death.
Rex's victory was short lived by a gruesome sound.
Swish!
A blade went through Cody's stomach.
Rex had been so busy with the pair of guards, he hadn't noticed Cody needed help.
"Cody!" Rex cried.
Before he fell, Cody stabbed the Crimson guard in the shoulder. Then Rex punched him and lit the final Red Guard up.
As the guard fell, Rex rushed to his brother's side. "Cody?"
His eyes were sealed shut.
Rex searched for a pulse. Any sign of life...nothing. "...oh, Cody." Rex cradled his brother in arms.
Earlier...
After Cody and Rex crashed through the window, blaster in arm, Padmé slowly came out from behind the Throne and snuck over to Vader.
After getting a better look at him, she even wondered if he was alive.
The slab of duracrete must have been about one by two meters. Hundreds of pounds, there was no way on earth she move it. Even budge it.
"Blast." She knelt down. "Vader?" Padmé touched his face. It was covered in dust and debris. "Anakin, can you hear me?" She knew how much he hated her using his childhood name. However, maybe he'd hear it and use that anger to his advantage...no answer. "Damn." She slid her fingers down to his neck. Searching for a pulse...he had one, but it felt fragile.
As far as she could tell, nothing was broken, but only his head, neck, and upper shoulders were visible. Everything else was blanketed by the debris.
But who knows what that large piece of duracrete had done to him internally, possibly even damaged his weakened lungs.
Padmé cursed her foolishness. Of course, Palpatine would turn her plan against Vader.
She sighed. There was no way she could lift the duracrete off of him.
She looked down at the blaster in her hand.
She started firing her blaster once more. Hoping to break the duracrete up into smaller pieces and free Vader, but then what? He was not conscious. Nor did she know the extent of his injuries and she only knew a little in terms of medical treatment thanks to the Clone Wars.
The duracrete began to break into smaller pieces. She panted as she began clawing her way through the smaller ones. Throwing them off to the sides.
"I need you to snap out of it. Please!" She cried through her teeth. "Please." She pleaded as knelt down beside him. Their foreheads meeting, "Please."
She looked as she heard one of the Troopers cry, "Cody!"
No.
As Padmé looked up to see Sidious laugh, she failed to notice Vader pull a hand free from the debris, then pull it back.
Darth Sidious locked eyes with Amidala.
Was that all?
That was what she had "distracted" him from.
At least Vader had an army of Yinchorri.
The pair of Clone Troopers versus his guards had been amusing to watch. Then disturbing since two lone troopers managed to defeat six of his guards, but he would get to that later.
Now where were they?
Ah, yes.
Lightning crackled from his fingertips.
Covering the Throne Room once more in blue, violet, and chaos.
The surviving trooper and Amidala screamed in pain as the bolts found them.
Both crouched on the floor in pain and horror.
"You pitiful fools," Sidious's voice thundered. "Did you really think you could defeat me? Me? The ruler of the Galaxy. The most powerful being in the whole universe!" The most powerful Sith Lord who ever lived. "The Sith'ari!" Lightning swirled all around the room. "The Force obeys my every whim. I will—" He was cut off mid sentence. Pieces of stone and duracrete hit the pale man in the skull.
The lightening storm engulfing the room began to cease.
The trooper passed out from the pain. While Amidala tried to keep her head up, to see what was happening.
Sidious was also trying to understand, and he soon did.
Darth Sidious heard a familiar humming nearby.
At first, he did not even feel anything.
Suddenly he felt like his back was on fire.
Pain?
He was a Sith Lord. He usually turned pain into a weapon, but this...this was different.
He could not breathe.
He looked down, frozen in horror.
A glowing red blade was sticking out of his chest.
The end of a lightsaber blade.
Then he felt the burn. The stinging ache where his heart had been.
Shock.
What was happening? This...this could not be happening.
For he was the most powerful being in the Galaxy.
Then...nothing.
He tried to turn his head.
He saw Lord Vader, filthy, but free from the debris. Who had clearly impaled him in the back with his own lightsaber.
"...Die." Vader said coldly. Completing his Master's sentence.
Sidious's yellow eyes grew in horror.
Vader smirked. "Everything that you were...everything that you are...is now mine." The title of Sith Master and Dark Lord of the Sith. The Throne. "Rest easy in your grave, my Master." For it was last time he would ever say those words.
Vader pulled the blade out of the old man's chest.
Sidious made a noise.
Moments passed, Vader watched the life leave his Master's eyes.
But that did not satisfy Vader.
Could he really be gone?
Vader had read plenty of stories of the ancient Sith. How they were able to transfer their essence into their Apprentices. Survive impossible injuries due to immortality. Such knowledge was said to be lost. Regardless he was taking no chances.
Vader swung his lightsaber.
Separating Sidious's head from his body.
Then Vader went for the limbs. First the right arm, for the one his Master had take from him.
Then his other arm and finally his legs.
Vader then deactivated his lightsaber as collapsed to his knees.
He had done it.
I did it.
"I did it," He said quietly to himself.
He had killed his Master.
He had killed Darth Sidious. His Master. Emperor.
He heard a noise.
It was a scream that transformed into a laugh.
Vader realized it was coming from him.
He was crying.
He was laughing.
Something streaming down his cheeks.
Water?
No, tears.
He quickly wiped them away.
He had not cried since he was a boy...since his mother died actually.
Vader wiped them from his face. They weren't tears of sadness, but of joy.
He was free.
Truly free.
He was shaking.
He was so...excited.
Relieved.
Scared.
He had never been free. He had been born into slavery.
The Skywalkers were owned by Gardulla the Hutt then the Toydarian junk dealer, Watto.
The young boy, Anakin won his freedom. Then was nearly made a slave to the Jedi Order.
But no, the Force had a different plan in motion.
And now here he was.
Sith Master.
I am the Master.
Me...
The true Dark Lord of the Sith.
A shadow lurked over him.
Someone was behind him.
No, not Palpatine.
In a flash, Vader twirled to meet as the end of blaster.
While he pointed the tip of his blade at her neck.
Vader's yellow eyes locked with Padmé's brown eyes.
Yikes.
Trivia: Padmé's outfit is based on her white Geonosis outfit from Attack of the Clones. Working chapters were The End and Compliments. I nearly called it Distractions too, but I already used that title. I considered killing both Cody and Rex, but decided to just kill one. I wanted one of them to be in the sequel.
What did you guys think of Vader's lines? How was the fight? Satisfying? I'm still not sure I do great at writing those. In my opinion, said things tend to do way visually and on screen, but that's me.
Coming up: I plan to do Padmé's perspective on Palpatine's death in the next chapter. Padmé and Vader make their decision.
Only one chapter to go, but don't worry, there's also an epilogue and sequel.
Don't forget to leave a review.
