Return to Coruscant
Anakin POV
I was standing in the gunship with one hand on the safety rail, one hand on my lightsaber, ready for anything. Palpatine had a force inhibitor collar on him, not that he could use the Force until his hands regenerated. I had ordered for them to put a gag on him so that he could not talk to me and get into my head. My old master looked rather helpless at the moment, and I am ashamed to admit that made me feel very happy. It would take him a long time to sweet talk his way out of this mess.
We finally put down in front of the Senate building, and there was a crowd out there. Everyone there was ready to take their own shot at the man who taxed them into starvation, scarred their children for life, or made their life miserable in some way or another. Whatever Darth Vader did as a monster was nothing compared to the puppet master Palpatine himself.
We walked him to the few Jedi and Senators there. Master Yoda, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi, and Depa were all there, waiting patiently for him to ascend the steps towards them. I also saw Senator Bail Organa, Duchess Satine Kyrze, Riyo Chuchi, and Padme. Smiling to myself, I knew that Palpatine was going to get his ass handed to him.
"Face justice, you must," said Master Yoda.
"You had your glory days in the sun, Palpatine," said Bail Organa. "Now we will make sure that peace and justice will reign over the Republic. Your Empire has fallen!"
My wife stepped forward. "You enslaved the entire galaxy for your own personal gain, and used the back of the Senate and the Jedi to do it. Do not expect mercy. You will receive none. For we received none from you."
I signaled for a few clones to come and take him away. As they were leading him away, Palpatine shot me a look, like he knew I had used the Dark Side to beat him. Panicking, I glanced around to the other master to see if the notice anything suspicious. To my relief, they acted like they did not notice anything.
"You alright, Skywalker?" asked Windu.
I thought of a good lie quickly. "Just trying to figure out what happens now?"
"Now," said Bail Organa. "He is tried as a War Criminal, and sentenced to eternity behind bars."
I scoffed. "Seems kind of a light sentence for a demon from hell."
"What would you do?" asked Windu.
"Would cutting off his limbs, drop him in lava, and then cut off his life support be to on point?"
"Anakin!" scolded Padme.
"What? After what he did to me, it's only fair."
"I take it Depa has not gotten to forgiveness with you yet," said Windu.
"That's next week," I said.
"Well, the life support is a bit extreme," said Bail. "But I like the other stuff."
"Bail!" yelled Padme.
"What? They would grow back. Just painfully, without anesthesia."
"Nice touch," I said.
"You gotta remember Padme, this is the man who not only went after Anakin, but ordered Leia to be executed and attempted to kill Luke."
"Wait, he went after the babies?" she asked looking at me.
I turned to her and looked into her eyes. Grabbing her hand, I said, "Well, he ordered for Leia to be tortured to give up the location of the Rebels and when she did not, we decided to destroy her home planet. Then he had them captured and tortured again. I cut off Luke's hand, and froze Leia's boyfriend. Then Luke turned himself in to try and get me to turn back to the Light and when Luke did not turn to the Dark Side, Palpatine tried to execute him. When I realized that, I betrayed Palpatine and saved Luke."
"Why didn't you tell me this?" she said angrily.
"I thought you knew. The news reports stuff like Luke Skywalker is a Rebel Hero, and stuff like that."
"It reports that he blew up the Death Star, and that you were not on the Death Star when it happened. It does NOT report that Palpatine is out for blood and that you cut of his HAND! Why would you do that?"
"To beat him so I could capture him without killing him. I was evil at the time. Why are you yelling at me? Palpatine's the bad guy!"
"You're the idiot who blindly followed him!"
"You knew that when you married me!"
"What?! That's your defense? I was a stupid twenty year old, who knew I would grow out of it?"
"I was twenty-three! I did not know what I was doing!"
"So why didn't we go to Obi-Wan for help?"
"Because I thought I could handle it!"
"Do they always argue like this?" asked Windu.
Bail laughed. "Yep. But it's not as frequent as you think. Excuse me, happy couple."
"I am just saying-" I said.
"Shut up!" She said to me. "Yes, Bail," she said politely.
"I was wondering if you two love birds would like to join us to discuss the finer points of Palpatine's hearing. Anakin you could be a big help getting evidence. I mean you were commissioned by the Jedi Council to spy on the chancellor, and you did find out he was a Sith Lord. It did not end well, but your testimony is still invaluable," he said.
I turned to Padme, "What do you think? Truce 'til this is over?"
Padme looked at me, "Okay." She turned and said, "We are coming Bail."
We all followed into the Senate building, but judging from the angry glances my wife gave me, I was still in trouble.