This chapter is a little shorter than the previous ones, but I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer :D
Chapter 30 – Last Man Standing
"What do you mean with you can't let me in?", Anakin growled, face twisted in anger. As much as he liked to rip this stupid droid's head off, he knew that it wouldn't get him any further.
He crossed his arms over his chest, trying to stay calm. Obi-Wan would laugh if he could see him now, Anakin had never really been able to keep his posture like his master. Despite all this, his best friend was the reason he stood in front of these two droids. As soon as he heard about the arrest, the knight had left the hospital in a rush, telling Padme to look after the kids and Satine.
How come that things were barreling down so fast? His padawan abducted to Force knows where. His best friend accused of murder. The woman the man wanted to marry wounded by his own hand.
His children had certainly chosen the best time to enter this world.
And then there was the chancellor. The man who seemed to know everything he did and where he went. Anakin didn't know what to make of that. He had ignored Palpatine's call in favor of trying to help Obi-Wan. He probably knew what had happened with Ahsoka as well.
Still standing in front of the Republic Prison, the knight tried to hail the jedi temple again. But like before, he was only met with static noise. He had tried to reach them on his way here, but it seemed their communications were blocked. At first, Anakin had thought that that had only been a technical issue but now he felt that something was up.
Cursing, he turned the useless commlink on his arm off and faced the droids again.
"Legally, every prisoner is allowed to receive a visitor. I'm pretty sure even you two tin heads know that."
The guards exchanged a look and shifted closer together, guns held at the ready.
"Sir, we are under special orders to not let anybody enter", one of the security guards blared mechanically, "In addition to that, prisoner Obi-Wan Kenobi is to be kept in solitary confinement and isn't allowed to be visited."
Anakin's eyes went wide, he couldn't believe what he just heard. "Solitary confinement? That man is innocent, for Force sake!", he motioned at the prison furiously, "He's no kriffing monster!"
"Sir, we must ask you to calm down."
"Calm down?!", Anakin snapped and stalked closer to the offending droid. "Whose orders are you following?", he snarled.
"We are not authorized to…", the droid squeaked, being suddenly lifted of the ground as Anakin's prosthetic clamped around its throat, threatening to crush its circuits.
The knight clenched his jaw and yanked the struggling droid up to his face, his eyes gleaming dangerously. "I'll show you who you're authorized to talk to, you piece of scrap metal."
Before any of them could act, they were interrupted by a new voice.
"General Skywalker!", a clone's voice called.
Still fixing the droid with a death-glare, Anakin thought about just crushing the machine to dust. But that wouldn't get him further either.
He sighed and let the poor droid drop at his feet. "Blast."
Anakin turned around and looked at the squad of clones, which was approaching him. Shocktroopers, he noticed.
"What is it?", he asked.
One of the men stepped forward. "We're here to escort you to the chancellor's office, sir."
"I have business here, I don't have time to see the chancellor", Anakin grunted, already turning back to push himself past the two terrified droids.
"Sir, he said it's urgent."
The jedi groaned with annoyance. "Well, this is outmost important too. The chancellor has to wait."
"I'm afraid that's not possible."
Anakin whirled around and glared at the soldier. "Are you threatening me?", he demanded.
"We've got our orders, sir", the clone retorted almost calmly, but the slight shift on his feet exposed him, "so please just comply and follow us to the senate building."
What was the chancellor up to? His stomach churned as an uneasy feeling crept up inside of him. Maybe he could get to the bottom of this if he confronted Palpatine. He just whished he had Obi-Wan at his side for this. His friend was a far better negotiator than him.
'I'll find you, Ahsoka. And I'll get you out of this mess, Obi-Wan', he thought to himself.
"Fine", he bit out, "take me to the chancellor."
The clone nodded shortly and motioned for him to follow them. The Force suddenly felt very chilling, like something dark and sinister was lingering over its very presence.
Anakin didn't like this at all. He took a seat inside the speeder with the guards and let his eyes linger on the city. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, but that didn't ease his mind. The buildings swept by as they flew towards the senate and Anakin caught a glimpse of the jedi temple, illuminated by the moon light.
He could feel the lifeforms inside radiating in the Force. The jedi should have gotten the news by now as well. Anakin closed his eyes for a moment and tried to reach out to Master Yoda, hoping that the old troll might get his message.
'The chancellor is up to something', he sent through the Force, 'stay alert.'
Opening his eyes again, Anakin realized that they had already arrived at the senate and the clones were waiting for him expectantly.
"Sorry", he muttered and climbed out of the speeder.
The senate building suddenly looked very imposing to him, its dark silhouette towering in front of him, even though he used to visit Padme in her office when he had been younger. Swallowing his anxiety, Anakin made his way inside, closely followed by the guards.
The chancellor's office was the same like he remembered from the last time he had been here. Stark red walls, the big desk in front of the large window front. Anakin only noticed now that Palpatine had a great view on the jedi temple.
The man in question was sitting in his chair, leg swung over his knee, smiling brightly. "Anakin, I see you finally made it."
The knight heard how the guards quietly shuffled out of the room and the door snapped closed behind them.
"Forget the formalities, chancellor. What's the meaning of this?", he stomped towards the desk, anger barely concealed, "why won't you let me see Obi-Wan? Why are our communications blocked?"
The smile slowly disappeared from Palpatine's face. "Your master is a danger to himself and others. I only did what I had to."
"A danger? That man raised me!", Anakin shouted, "He would never hurt anyone on purpose! He is falsely accused and you know that!"
"Your blinded, my boy", the chancellor stood up from his seat and walked over to a holo projector, "come, let me show you something."
"I've already seen the footage", the knight said tight-lipped.
"You haven't seen everything, now look."
Anakin didn't want to, clinging to the thought that Obi-Wan innocent, but looked at the video that played in front of him.
It was again footage from the police droids. The image was incredibly shaky as the droid jumped on Obi-Wan trying to wrestle him away from Satine. Anakin winced as they slammed his master's head particularly hard against the ground. The image shifted again as the droid moved around Obi-Wan and kneeled in front of his face. He was pale, almost as grey as the ground he was held against, eyes pressed closed. Still, Anakin could see the tears that were glistening on his cheeks, trailing along the blackened veins on Obi-Wan's face.
'Force, master. I'm so sorry.'
Another droid yanked his friend's head to the side and that was when the jedi master's eyes snapped open.
"No", the knight gasped. That couldn't be true. Not his master. Not the man who raised him. Who was so strongly rooted in the Light.
Nevertheless, Anakin couldn't tear away his gaze. Those amber eyes he had only seen on Dooku before were staring back at him.
He didn't know what to believe. He didn't want to believe what he was seeing. But then there had been that strong and dark energy he had sensed from his former master before.
Anakin felt betrayed and frustrated. Obi-Wan had always preached that the Dark side was dangerous. And yet he had seemed to have broken his own vow. It didn't matter to Anakin, that his friend had used the Dark side, he was sure the man had his reasons. It hurt much more that he had always rebuked Anakin when he had strayed from the path.
"I see you understand", the chancellor spoke softly, turning away from the projector and crossing his hands in his sleeves. "I don't know much about the Force, but even I remember what those yellow eyes mean."
Back still turned away from the chancellor, Anakin rubbed his arms. He felt cold somehow.
"I still need to speak to him. I should at least give him a chance to explain himself", he murmured, lost in his thoughts, "Also he probably knows where Ahsoka has gone."
Palpatine was starting to get annoyed with the boy. He had thought that the video would be enough to make him lose trust in his former master. The footage wasn't even altered, he had shown the jedi the truth. And yet, he still clung to that stupid man.
Skywalker and Kenobi. The infamous duo. He would never understand what kept the two men together. It almost looked like the hatred the boy harbored for his master had diminished to nothingness. And it all had looked so promising. The boy had visited him almost every day, ranting about his master. How the man held him back. Didn't understand him. How the jedi master had been a hypocrite.
But now? Nothing. Whatever Kenobi did, it had strengthened Skywalker's trust.
It was time to take the offensive. If Skywalker wouldn't fall by himself, he would make him.
The traitors had to die. One way or another.
He stepped around his desk and opened one of the drawers, taking his special commlink and the lightsaber. Hiding the weapon in his sleeve, Sidious turned towards the jedi, who was still staring at the frozen video.
"I can't let you see him again", he simply stated, keeping his neutrality in the Force. Kenobi was just a tool in his hands, he would need the man as soon as he had the boy under control.
Skywalker whirled around instantly; confusion spread over his face. The jedi took a step back then, suddenly on high alert.
Ah, that innocence. It almost made him laugh. The boy was so naïve, quick to forget the real threat.
"Who are you?", Skywalker hissed, hand on the lightsaber on his hip.
A raw chuckle escaped his throat as he watched the jedi. "Oh Anakin, your master really did a poor job at teaching you if you still haven't noticed yet. And here I thought you're their precious Chosen One."
With a snap-hiss the blue blade activated in front of him. "You're the Sith Lord."
"I would put down that weapon", he laughed, "you might get hurt… or your fellow jedi friends." He stepped closer to the perplexed knight, letting his dark presence flow free, pressing down on Skywalker. Yellow eyes bore right through blindingly blue ones.
The knight began to clutch his head as the Darkness began to consume him.
"I'll teach you real power", Sidious snarled. "But first… I need to teach you a lesson." He continued to increase the pressure in the Force, keeping the boy from calling out to someone.
Anakin's knees gave way as it became to much, catching himself on his hands.
With a smile, the Sith watched him struggling in the void. His presence was suffocating for a normal Force sensitive.
But for the Chosen One? Pure agony.
Too bad that this was only the beginning.
He lifted the commlink to his lips and opened the precoded frequency.
"Execute Order 66."
Oof, I never thought that this story would get that long! Thanks to everyone who is still tagging along for the ride!
I don't know how often I rewrote this perticular chapter, but in the end I just go with it now. Future Me has to deal with it :D