Chapter 13 – A Taste of Power
DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars or any of the characters in it, though we wish we did. xD
Author's Note: Sidious is cruel and someone begins to Fall... Sorry...
~ Amina Gila
Anakin had been preparing for this moment, but that doesn't stop a tremor of raw fear from running through him when Dooku comes to the dungeon with the news that Sidious is expecting them. Hopefully, the past couple weeks have given his master time to calm down from Anakin's most recent transgressions. Hopefully. Theoretically, any normal person would be calm, but theoretically doesn't apply to murderous Sith Lords.
"Be careful," Dooku warns as they file out of the cell. It wasn't nearly as hard to adjust to being in a small space with two other people as Anakin had thought. Ironically, the past two weeks have probably been one of the first times he actually managed to feel remotely human for a while. "Sidious is not in a good mood."
"When is he ever?" quips Obi-Wan. Dooku ignores the joke, but Ahsoka's lips quirk into a smile. Anakin feels fleeting amusement which is quickly quelled at the Count's next words.
"He came with a number of prisoners," Dooku cautions. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka look at him in confusion. They don't know what that means. Of course, they don't. Anakin feels a knot of terror twist up inside of him. What will Sidious want him to do this time? Become his own personal torture droid? Please, no. Not again.
Dooku casts him a look but doesn't say anything else as he stops outside the doors to the training room. They slide open, revealing the interior. In the center of the room stands Sidious. Anakin steps past Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, moving to kneel in front of him. "Master," he says submissively.
"Rise, Lord Vader." Sidious motions to him, and he obeys the order. "I am here to demonstrate to these weak Jedi the power of the Dark Side."
Had it been two weeks ago, Anakin knows Ahsoka would have started arguing, but after having been with him for so long, she clearly realizes verbal resistance will only prolong the inevitable and make it far worse. She remains silent, though he can see her stiffen. Obi-Wan remains where he is, posture and expression completely impassive. Anakin considers it a demonstration of Jedi calm.
"Bring in the prisoners, Lord Tyrannus," orders Sidious.
"As you wish, my Master," Dooku replies, immediately leaving the room. The tension in the air is nearly palpable.
"You have been misled for years by the Jedi ideology," Sidious begins, the hood over his head shielding most of his face from view. His yellow eyes dart between Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. Anakin slowly exhales, clasping his hands behind his back as he remains on alert. "The Jedi do not understand the power of the Dark Side. Today, I want you to taste that power and join the new, rising Sith Empire."
"Have you nothing to say?" he queries as no one speaks, chuckling darkly. "I am surprised. I thought that as Jedi, you would at least defend the Order."
"I have nothing to say to you," Ahsoka grinds out.
"You will speak to me with respect, child," Sidious spits out. Ahsoka's eyes widen a fraction of an inch, and she hastily averts her gaze to the titled floor.
"How would you wish us address you?" Obi-Wan asks, tone neutral.
Sidious narrows his eyes as though trying to gauge if Obi-Wan is making fun of him. "My Lord," Anakin answers before Sidious has the chance. His master doesn't even spare him a glance.
"And in time, you will call me 'master,'" Sidious adds with satisfaction.
Anakin can almost hear Ahsoka's rebellious thoughts, but she wisely keeps them to herself. Sidious turns as the doors slide open. Dooku steps through, followed by three beings who are being ushered along by MagnaGuards. Anakin scrutinizes them silently. Two of them are Zygerians. The other is a Trandoshan. So, it's a group of random, likely underworld, prisoners. They're led to the center of the room, MagnaGuards taking up positions on all sides.
"The Zygerians are slavers," Sidious announces, "And the Trandoshan is a bounty hunter. Under Republic law, they should die." He crosses his arms, an aura of malevolence surrounding him as he looks between Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. "Kill them," he orders.
"What?" Ahsoka squeaks, eyes widening in horror.
He turns on her. "Take the lightsaber and kill the Trandoshan," he instructs. At his words, Dooku unclips his lightsaber and silently holds it out towards her.
Ahsoka takes a step back. "I – I can't," she stammers, shaking her head.
Sidious makes a disgusted noise, whirling to look at Anakin. "Break his neck. Slowly."
Anakin doesn't look at anyone as he clenches his right hand. The Trandoshan is lifted into the air gasping and choking for breath. He claws at his neck as he struggles to draw in enough oxygen to breath. In the Force, Anakin can feel Ahsoka's muted shock as she watches, clearly unable to look away. "They will die regardless of whether you choose to do it," Sidious informs Ahsoka with satisfaction, "But it is up to you to decide if they will suffer or not."
No one speaks, and the only noise in the room for next couple minutes is the Trandoshan trying to breath as he slowly suffocates. Finally, Anakin drops the limp, lifeless body to the ground. "Do you now see what happens when you do not follow orders?" Sidious asks maliciously, stepping closer to Ahsoka. She flinches under his gaze. Anakin looks away. She doesn't deserve this, but he knows that once she willingly touches the Dark Side, it will be over.
Dooku's lightsaber flies to Sidious' hand, and the Sith steps right up to Ahsoka, holding it out to her. "Take this and end their lives." She stares at it frozen and unmoving. She doesn't protest verbally, but her lack of response is answer enough.
Snarling quietly, Sidious turns back towards Anakin. "Electrocute him," he snaps, motioning to one of the Zygerians. Ahsoka inhales sharply and glances towards Obi-Wan who seems as troubled as she is, though he's hiding it far better.
Anakin doesn't hesitate, delving into the Dark Side so his eyes bleed yellow. Atrocities are far easier like this. He raises his left hand, unhesitatingly blasting lightning at the hapless prisoner. He forces himself to tune out the screams and pleas. In a few minutes, it will be over. He repeats that silently, ignoring the emotions bleeding into the Force from the others. Initially, electrocuting someone to death was as much a punishment for Anakin as for the person being killed, but now, he's grown used to it as much as he can be.
"Now you understand, young Padawan," murmurs Sidious, eyes boring into Ahsoka. "Lord Vader, kill the other."
Anakin turns, preparing to carry through with the instruction, when Ahsoka's voice cuts him off. "Don't!" she cries.
"Then will you do it yourself?" Sidious demands.
Ahsoka doesn't answer, but she lifts a shaking hand and grasps the lightsaber, slowly walking towards the prisoner. She stops six feet away from him and ignites the saber. Anakin can almost taste her hesitation and horror at what she's about to do. He wants to stop her, but he knows that to do so would be suicidal. If nothing else, he can help her get through the trauma which follows. For the longest moment, Ahsoka stares at the blade before lifting it and cutting off the man's head. The lifeless body crumples to the floor with a resounding thud.
She stumbles back, lightsaber falling from her hand, a wave of horror rippling out into the Force. Sidious cackles darkly. "Good. Very good. It was necessary, my dear," he consoles her. The words echo through Anakin's mind, reminding him of what Sidious had told him when he first started killing people.
"I know it's hard," Sidious tells him, resting a hand on his shoulder, yellow eyes staring down at him with none of the compassion his words are expressing. "It will become easier with time. No one likes to kill, but you must understand, Anakin, that sometimes, it's necessary."
Anakin had tried to believe him, but soon, after he'd murdered unarmed children Sidious had presented to him, the words no longer had any meaning. Necessary. There was nothing necessary about it. Sometimes – sometimes he thinks he can hear the young Twilek's sobs in the dead of night as she begged Sidious to spare her life.
It was monstrous. He's a monster for doing it, even if he only did so under duress to keep his mother alive. And he's a monster for undoubtedly forcing Ahsoka to undergo the same treatment. If only she would understand that it's necessary for her to use the Dark Side. She's already undergone training as a Jedi, and her guilt over doing something against the Jedi's principles will keep her firmly with them. Sidious has instructed him repeatedly on the best, fastest way to break a Jedi. Guilt.
"Lord Tyrannus, clean up the mess and bring in two of the others," Sidious commands.
Dooku silently tips his head in acknowledgment, turning towards service droids hovering on the side. "Dispose the bodies," he instructs, using the Force to activate them. They whir to life, and Anakin looks away as they drag the bodies out. He's seen it happen so many times, but that doesn't make it any easier to watch. It sickens him every single time, no matter how much the beings had deserved it.
Anakin remains still for the next couple minutes as they wait for Dooku to return with two more prisoners. Something about the way Sidious said it was different. That's when it dawns on him. They aren't the same type of people. They're probably innocent victims. The thought sickens him, and he feels a protective instinct surge up. Ahsoka shouldn't have to kill innocent beings, but he doesn't have a say in the matter.
All too soon, Dooku returns, accompanied by two men wearing uniforms. One look at them makes his blood run cold. Clones. They're Jango's clones. This is going to be harder than he'd initially thought. He inhales slowly, drawing in the Dark Side enough to make him feel like a black hole of nothingness to the touch. He can get through this. He will get through this.
"These clones were captured on Geonosis," Sidious declares pleasantly. "Now, they will be executed." He pauses, eyes turning not to Ahsoka, but to Obi-Wan. "Master Kenobi, would you like to do the honors?"
"They're prisoners of war!" Obi-Wan exclaims in disbelief. "They're soldiers of the Republic. You're the Chancellor. They're part of your army. How can you do this?"
Anakin pretends not to notice the two men stiffening at Obi-Wan's words, expressions of betrayal flashing across their faces. He looks away, unwilling to watch them. He cannot, under any circumstances, start viewing them as people. They're prisoners to be executed. That's all.
Sidious chuckles darkly. "My army," he echoes slowly, almost as though enjoying a private joke. He is. Anakin knows that the clones are implanted with chips to make them blindly obedient if triggered. Dooku had told him about it. "Yes, you're absolutely right. They are my personal army, and I can do whatever I please with them. I want you to kill them."
Obi-Wan raises his head defiantly. "No. It is not the Jedi way. It is immoral, not to mention illegal. It goes against the principles of the Republic."
"A Republic which will fall," snarls Sidious stepping forward menacingly. "Very well. If you won't do it, someone else will." He turns towards Ahsoka, and Anakin winces sympathetically. He remembers what this was like, and it was never a pleasant feeling. "Show your strength where your master cannot."
Ahsoka takes a step back, flinching. Her wide blue eyes look towards the prisoners, and she mutely shakes her head. "So, then you are willing to subject them to untold pain," Sidious spits, gaze drifting to Anakin. "Lord Vader, electrocute them." Anakin catches the challenging gleam in his master's eyes, and immediately knows that this is a personal test, one he will not fail.
"It would be my pleasure," he murmurs, raising his left hand. Lightning arches through the air, striking one of the men. He falls to the ground convulsing, screams of agony being ripped from his throat. Revulsion coils within Anakin, but he forces it aside. He has a mission, and missions are important. This isn't for him. It's for his mother, for Padme, for Ahsoka, for Obi-Wan. If he doesn't protect them, they'll be left to Sidious' nonexistent mercies.
"Anakin, stop!" yells Ahsoka finally. He can see her dismay, and Obi-Wan's pinched expression, but he ignores them until Sidious motions to him. The barrage ceases, his hand falling back to his side. For one eternally long second, his master studies Ahsoka from beneath his hood; the entire room is silent save for the prisoner's panted breaths.
"I can feel your disgust," murmurs Sidious, tilting his head. "I can feel your anger. I can feel your self-loathing. Use it. Stop resisting." He extends his hand, and Dooku's lightsaber sails to it. "Take this lightsaber and strike them down. Make yourself one of us."
The ultimatum. If she accepts, she will be forever tainted by the Dark Side. If she resists, the men will suffer needlessly. Dooku stands immobile, expression impassive, but Anakin can sense he's troubled when he meets the older man's eyes. Yes, Anakin wants Ahsoka at his side, wants to train her, but he hadn't thought this far ahead. He'd wanted someone – someone who could understand, perhaps.
Obi-Wan moves as if to say something, but then thinks better of it, clamping his jaw shut. Smart move. If he said anything to contradict Sidious, Anakin suspects he would have been electrocuted. "End it," Sidious whispers in a coaxing tone. "End their suffering. End their pain."
Anakin senses the intent before it actually comes. The second prisoner, who is still standing, lunges towards Sidious, murder in his eyes, and chaos breaks lose. Dooku and Anakin reach out with the Force in unison, throwing him backwards as Sidious whirls, lightning arching towards the unfortunate man. He's thrown hard to the ground, but he manages to shake off the effects with surprising ease.
"I will not be used in your twisted games!" he spits out, glaring furiously at the Sith Lord. "You won't use my life as a bargaining chip to make a child into a murderer!"
Sidious' expression is twisted into rage. Anakin can feel the cold malice darkening the Force all around them. "Teach this clone his place, Lord Vader." That tone means he wants to feel someone's pain. Well, it wouldn't be the first time.
Anakin turns obediently, clenching his right fist and raising the struggling man into the air. He's being choked, but not enough to completely cut off his breath. Anakin drops him on the floor, slamming him backwards into the wall hard enough to break some ribs. To his credit, the clone doesn't even flinch.
"Skywalker, your lightsaber." Dooku's voice is stiff, but Anakin can hear the undercurrent of disgust. The Count does not fancy watching torture – not physical torture anyways. He pulls the lightsaber from where it was hidden out of sight by his cloak and tosses it towards Anakin, who uses the Force to catch it.
Anakin ignites the blood red blade, stalking towards the fallen man. "You have no right to raise a finger against the Chancellor," he hisses, pointing the lightsaber towards him. "Is that clear?"
"I was created with the sole purpose of defending the Republic," the clone retorts, "And I will do my duty. Traitors must be eliminated."
"Lord Sidious is your master," Anakin snarls, the tip of the lightsaber close enough to singe the man's chest. He doesn't even blink.
Despite the humming of imminent death from the red blade, the clone still manages to give Anakin a look of unimpressed disgust and loathing. "All of you are monsters," he states firmly, "Especially if you believe that what you're doing is right."
Anakin gives him a cold smile. "Maybe I am a monster," he agrees, yellow eyes fixed on the clone's face, "But I am a monster who believes that what's being done is for the greater good, even if it is rather… distasteful at times. You will learn your place." He unhesitatingly pushes the lightsaber through the man's shoulder, drawing forth a scream.
"A monster… who will fall…" the clone gasps out, face pale from the pain.
Anakin's grin is cruel. "So quick to make predictions," he murmurs as lightning consumes the man's body. He doesn't stop until he can feel him fading into unconsciousness. Through the Force, he can feel Sidious' satisfaction. Good. Maybe the show will be over now. He turns towards Sidious, clipping his lightsaber back to its rightful place. "What is thy bidding, my master?" he questions respectfully, evoking the ancient Sith phrase.
"You are a most valuable asset, Lord Vader," Sidious says slowly. Is he seriously praising him? That is very unexpected. Those times are far and few between. He turns towards the audience, a contemplative expression on his face. "This could go on for hours. Days. Do you wish to spare them this pain?"
Though he doesn't specify, it's clear the question is being directed towards Ahsoka. Anakin steals a glance, suddenly regretting the brutality he was forced to show. She seems to be on the verge of either fainting or throwing up. Obi-Wan is far paler than he is usually. After a long moment, Ahsoka nods mutely.
"Good." This time, Sidious doesn't chuckle. On the contrary, his tone is flat as he once more holds out Dooku's lightsaber to her.
She takes it, finger running over the ignition switch before she ignites it. Anakin can't control the morbid curiosity which keeps his eyes fixed on her every move as she approaches them. He hears her voice whisper a faint "I'm sorry" as she stands there staring down at them. Then, she swings the lightsaber, painlessly severing their heads.
"Take them back to their cells," Sidious orders, turning to Dooku. Anakin didn't think he'd ever be as glad to hear those words as he is now. He knows it will be a short reprieve – it always is – but it will give all of them some much needed time to process what just happened.
Ahsoka. Curious, cheerful Ahsoka killed two people. And he didn't stop it. Anakin shakes his head roughly, numbly handing his lightsaber back to Dooku as he escorts them from the room. Now, he's not the only one who has to find a way to deal with the crushing guilt. Ahsoka, what did I do to you?