Anakin held onto Lillian as Padme stepped forward ready to take her. He felt guilty for leaving Padme and his youngest so soon but he didn't have a choice. He lifted Lillian up to his lips kissing her on the forehead as he felt his heart tear in two. "I love you, baby girl. Your older sister is in trouble and I need to go to her now."
Padme took Lillian from him as she leaned her head up kissing Anakin on the lips. "Go and rescue Leia, Lillian will be here waiting for you. It's okay, Ani. I'm giving you permission to go."
"I know, I love you, Padme" Anakin glanced at Ahsoka and Han who who were patiently waiting to leave as Luke stepped forward and kissed his baby sister on the forehead.
"We love you too, Anakin," Padme returned with a loving smile.
As far as he was concerned Gaalen had made a mistake, no one gets between a father and his daughter with malicious intent. For all he knew, he could be walking into a trap setup by Gaalen, for what purpose, he didn't know for sure. But he could guess what it was really about.
Leia leaned her head back as the droid gave her a shot, she wasn't sure what it was for and she dreaded the answer. Nothing good came from Imperial drugs. "Why are you doing this?" She questioned as she felt her eyes start to droop as a headache started taking hold. "This will only make my father angry."
"That's the point of this," Gaalen answered as Leia fought to stay awake. "When he gives into his anger again. No one not even you can save him from his darkness again."
Leia stretched out her mind seeking the comfort of her father. To warn him of the trap. /Please don't come, for Lillian's sake. Please father, he's deliberately trying to get you to be Vader again./
"It is useless to resist," Gaalen commented with an evil smile. "By now the drug will be taking effect, and it will make you look like you died. You will be in a deep sleep until you're given the antidote."
Leia felt herself fading fast as she laid down and darkness took over.
Anakin glanced around the darkness of the room as a lone figure appeared to him. As he closed the distance between him and the other person, the figure clarified. He drew in a sharp breath as Leia gave him a sadden expression. "Please tell me I'm dreaming and your…"
"I'm not dead," Leia answered honestly as Anakin felt relief flood him. "Gaalen has given me a drug that puts me to sleep and it makes it look like I died when I haven't. Please for Lillian and mom's sake, don't come."
"I don't care if I'm walking into a trap," Anakin pleaded with her as he felt his heart drop at her words. "I need to get you back. I would never be able to forgive myself if I don't try. Did he mention anything else to you like an antidote?"
"Yes, it is the only thing that will wake me," Leia answered honestly with a frown. "Dad, I don't want to loose you to the dark side. Gaalen is going try to get you to fall to the dark side again. He wants you to train Brice's clone and he feels the only way is to get you so angry you become lost again."
"You won't lose me, I promise," Anakin felt his heart ache at the thought of not rescuing Leia. He needed to get her back at all costs. "I love so much, please don't ask me of this."
"You will find a way, mom told me you're good at finding ways," Leia spoke with certainty. "I love you too, dad."
Anakin's eyes opened as he reached for Leia only to find Ahsoka watching him with a curious expression as he placed his head into his hands. Leia was asking him of the impossible.
"Anakin, are you all right?" Ahsoka questioned in concern as she sat down beside him. "What's wrong?"
Anakin took a deep breath and slowly released it. He had to tell someone or he would be lost like the first time. And for some reason that held no appeal to him at all anymore. "Leia was able to contact me through the Force," he explained as Ahsoka listened. "She doesn't want me to save her. She says Gaalen is going to try and bring Vader out in me again. She's my child, I can't stand by and watch someone torment her without trying to save her. I would never be able to forgive myself. He injected her with some kind of drug that makes it look like she died when she isn't dead. For the first time, I feel like I'm at a lose of what to do. I have Lillian to think of as well."
"Maybe Leia is right, maybe you should consider sitting this one out and let Jess, Luke and I handle it," Ahsoka suggested in a cautious tone.
Anakin looked up at her and shook his head stubbornly. "I can't but we will find a way to get her back and Gaalen will be sorry he dared to double cross me," he felt his anger begin to rise at the thought as Ahsoka's eyes widened in shock causing him to pause. Did he just tap into the dark side again? It felt like an old friend welcoming him back as cold shot through him causing him to shiver. A reminder that Vader will always be apart of him and he would have to watch his step.
Anakin paced back and forth as Han quietly sat off to the side not saying anything at all. Gaalen had some serious answering to do, drugging his daughter with some kind of poison or drug. Making it look like she had died when she hadn't. Even he wouldn't go that far. Why just kill her all together? What was Star Killer's angle. What was his purpose? What did he want?
He felt his anger fluctuating like it did when he was Vader. He sensed the dark side was not too far off from his mind. But if he fell a second time, it would cost him his life and not to mention putting his family through unnecessary grief.
Anakin paused for a second as Han looked stunned? Was it that obvious that he was tapping into the dark side that even a non force user was picking up on his feelings? He pushed it towards the back of his mind and resumed his pacing. When he got his hands on this clone, Gaalen will be sorry he dared to double cross him using his child to get to him.
Ahsoka pulled Luke aside as he looked at her with confusion causing her to frown as she closed the door behind her. She was extremely concerned about Anakin and she didn't want to lose him to the dark side again. "I need to talk to you about Anakin possibly sitting this one out."
"Why, did something happen?" Luke questioned in a concerned tone. "I sensed him like…."
"Like you felt, Vader?" Ahsoka questioned as Luke nodded in agreement. "Leia met him on the dream plains pleading with Anakin not to come."
"Did she have her reasons?" Luke questioned in a shocked tone. "Why would she…. I don't understand."
"Star Killer injected Leia with a drug to make it look like she died in hopes of enraging Anakin to become consumed in the dark side again," Ahsoka explained with a serious expression. "She doesn't want Anakin to lose himself again because she wants him to be there for Lillian."
"What do you propose?" Luke questioned in concern. "Dad won't stay still for this, it's not in his character."
"Help me convince him to stay still," Ahsoka pleaded with a serious expression. "Please, for your fathers sake."
"I don't know, it's hard to convince dad to…" Luke paused for a second as Ahsoka sensed Anakin tap into the dark side again causing her to shudder. "On second thought, it wouldn't be a bad idea. But how?"
"Talk to him and voice your concerns," Ahsoka answered honestly. Luke gave a short nod as he opened the door as she sat down on the small cot. A minute later Anakin and Luke walked back into the small room as she stood up and gestured to the cot. "Have a seat, Anakin."
"What is this all about?" Anakin questioned as he sat down as Luke looked concerned. "Luke? What's wrong?"
"We're concerned about you," Luke answered honestly with a frown. "I can sense you tapping into the dark side. I'm worried you will end up turning back into Vader. I don't want to lose you again. I can sense Vader coming from you in small waves."
Anakin glanced from Luke to Ahsoka as she nodded in agreement. His eyes widened in shock as he looked down at the floor. Luke sat down beside him wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Dad, for the family's and our friend's sake. Sit this one out. We can handle rescuing Leia on our own. It wouldn't be the first time."
Anakin didn't say a word as Ahsoka sat down to his other side and wrapped her arms around him. She took his hands into hers causing him to glance at her. "Anakin, really consider it or learn to let go of your fear. It's what caused you to fall in the first place, wasn't it?"
Anakin gave a short nod as she squeezed his hand lightly. Ahsoka sensed him attempting to calm himself down. She sensed he was releasing his anger and fear into the force as the darkness faded from him.
Jess boarded the Falcon as he sensed darkness causing him to shudder. From what he could tell, Anakin was dabbling in the dark side again. Ahsoka stopped him with one hand causing him to frown.
"Before you say anything, we already talked to Anakin about this," Ahsoka explained with a frown.
"Okay, did Gaalen do something to get Anakin riled up?" Jess questioned as Ahsoka nodded. "What happened?"
Ahsoka explained Leia's situation as Jess felt his anger rise a bit. No wonder Anakin was so angry. He didn't blame him, but the fact he was sensing Vader he knew it might be better if Anakin sat this one out. "Is Anakin going to sit this one out?"
"He's agreed to sit it out," Ahsoka answered with a frown. "We're going to have to handle this one without him."
"I'm relieved to hear that," Jess said with a slight smile. "I would hate to see him mess it up now, considering how well he's been doing."
Ahsoka placed her hand onto Jess's shoulder causing him to glance towards her. "How are you feeling about Brice's clone?"
"I'm angry and sad," Jess answered honestly as he thought about it for a minute. "I haven't tapped into the dark side as far as I can tell. In case you were wondering about it. It's not fair to the clone for the way he was brought into this life."
"What do you plan to do?" Ahsoka questioned in curiosity.
"I don't know," Jess answered honestly with a frown. "Reason with him, help the clone see what he's doing is wrong. That there are better ways," he paused for a second as he felt his anger rise at the thought as he quickly released that feeling into the Force. It was the only way to keep his feelings under control. "If he truly is from my flesh and blood, he will hopefully see reason."
"And what of Fress?" Ahsoka questioned in a curious tone. "Her personality rivals Anakin's."
"Let's hope it doesn't come down to that. I don't want to see Brice's name dragged through the mud at age twelve."
Briice stood beside Gaalen as Gaalen laid out the plan for him causing him to frown. He could not quite shake the feeling that this wasn't right. Not to mention his growth was what was the word Gaalen used again? Accel, accelerated? That's the word he was looking for. How were humans born to begin with? He didn't understand this life at all, not to mention Gaalen wanted to give into his anger? Fall to the dark side? What was the difference between the light and dark? He didn't know and wished someone would guide him better then pushing him towards something he didn't understand.
Is there a way out of this nightmare? Briice hoped so. He didn't feel too good about this at all. Especially after how Gaalen treated Leia. No this is not the life he wanted and he wanted out. He turned his attention to Gaalen as his master was laughing causing him to shudder. "I want out."
"What?" Gaalen questioned as he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "What makes you think that? It'll be a grand life, a powerful life. Why would you throw away this opportunity?"
"It doesn't feel right," Briice answered honestly as the smile faded from Gaalen's face and it suddenly turned into a sneer. "Perhaps you'll think twice while sitting in a cell. Guards, take him to the detention center."
Briice felt his heart drop at Gaalen's words. Now he truly wanted out. But how? He had no clue. Maybe when this Vader person showed up that would be his chance to get out of here. The guards moved behind him pushing him towards the cell blocks. How was he going to get out of this?
Thanks for reading :)
