Chapter 33 - Politics

DISCLAIMER: We (unfortunately) do not own Star Wars. :P

Author's Note: In which Anakin deals with Tarkin. ^-^ I think Tarkin's fate was pretty much a given. Lol.

This fic is almost done! :D Thank you all so, so much for all the support you've shown! It means so much to me, especially since I never dreamed this fic would become so popular when I first started posting it. :P

~ Amina Gila

Political games have never been Anakin's forte, but he's willing to play by the rules and stall Tarkin as long as he can until the Death Star has been destroyed and the twins rescued. He knows that, based on what the Grand Moff had told him, should something happen to him while he's on Coruscant, his aids will order that the twins be executed. It's definitely a surefire way of keeping Anakin in check because he won't take any action which might hurt his children. Ever.

He can, of course, kill Tarkin after he's proclaimed Emperor, but that would be incredibly messy, and the political nightmare which would follow isn't worth it. Tarkin has underestimated Anakin if he thinks that he really has the upper hand. So much the better, he supposes. That means that when the inevitable occurs, Tarkin won't know what hit him. Regardless of what it takes, he will die for what he did to Ahsoka. She was only a child when she was framed for the bombing of the Temple, the event which led to her leaving the Order, and had Anakin not been able to discover the perpetrator – killing Barriss was so satisfying – Ahsoka would, no doubt, have been executed. Was it part of Sidious' plan? He'll never know, but it no longer matters.

Dressed in his Vader armor, Anakin stands on the landing platform of the Senate building as Tarkin's shuttle touches down, the ramp lowering shortly thereafter. The want-to-be Emperor disembarks, head held high, seemingly confident of his success. His mistake.

Anakin clenches his fists, even as he formally welcomes Tarkin to the surface before walking into the Senate with him. The longer he drags this out, the better. The Senate has already been informed of the fact that the Emperor – Anakin – is to be giving an address, so they're all ready and waiting. He can almost feel the anticipation in the air, and he can't help but wonder how many of the Senators are secretly collaborating with Tarkin.

Soon, too soon for his liking, they arrive inside the large assembly room, where all the Senators are waiting for them. Now is when things become tricky. Anakin will have to choose his words carefully, so as not to tip Tarkin off, but at the same time, not necessarily giving the reins of the Empire to someone else.

"Senators, citizens of the Empire," Anakin begins as he steps up to the podium. The silence is so acute that even the slightest rustle can probably be heard. Perhaps it's because he looks like Vader, or perhaps it's because the assembled can feel the tension in the air. Anakin doesn't know, and he frankly doesn't really care either. "After the recent and tragic assassination of the now late Emperor Palpatine, I, as was my rightful place, took the throne. My sole goal is to do what is best for the people. Being Emperor is not easy, and the burden to ensure the safety and security of all is difficult to bear, though it is not one which I would protest carrying."

He pauses deliberately, letting his eyes sweep across the room, looking at the silent faces, both curious and impassive before continuing. "I have never been interested in politics, not when I was younger, and not now that I am older either, but I have strived to do my duty for you, the people." He dislikes admitting to a weakness, though he knows how necessary it is. This is the only way he can properly explain why he's giving up the throne – and the power – to another without admitting to being blackmailed or coerced.

"I am not the person who should be leading this Empire. I am a soldier, not a politician," Anakin explains, "And I feel that there are many who are better suited than I am for the role of Emperor. If I am surrendering my throne, then I am duty-bound to ensure that my successor be as honorable and focused on the people as I am." He can't actually hear the decisive and skeptical thoughts, but he can certainly feel the doubts of many. It makes him wince, once more ashamed of the actions he took while under Sidious. The crimes he committed may never stop haunting him and making his life difficult.

They should be skeptical of them. They should doubt his words. Those who do are likely those who care for their people, at least predominantly so. Shaking his doubts aside, Anakin turns slightly gesturing for Tarkin to step forwards. He does. "There is another who the late Emperor Palpatine trusted, who served him as closely as I did," Anakin declares. "I imagine that, if he had not died the way he did, then he might have named Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin as his successor, knowing of his greater proclivity towards the political arena."

Anakin intentionally steps to the side, letting Tarkin take the podium. Not once has he declared his intention to give the throne over to Tarkin, and while he can sense some uncertainly and unease on the part of the Imperial, he doesn't seem to realize that he's being set up.

"For claiming not to be a politician, Lord Vader is quite the speaker," Tarkin comments, arousing mild amusement from some of his listeners. It grates on Anakin, and he crosses his arms, waiting for the moment to be right. He reaches out with Force, giving Obi-Wan and Ahsoka a questioning nudge. They don't respond, meaning that they're not yet ready for him to take action. There isn't much more time, though, so Anakin hopes that they hurry it up.

"When I become Emperor, I intend to continue the legacy of the late Emperor Palpatine, making this the greatest Empire which the galaxy has ever seen," Tarkin announces. Murmurs of agreement and support sweep through the assembled, and Anakin clenches his jaw. Perhaps he underestimated how many allies the other man has here. Even now, Sidious' web is still spun.

"I am afraid that Lord Vader has been deceiving you," he continues, seeming unfazed by the fact that Anakin is right behind him.

Anakin stiffens. What? What is this? What is Tarkin planning to say? Was this his plan from the start. He reaches out desperately to Obi-Wan through their bond. "Obi-Wan," he calls, a bit desperately, hoping that his former master can hear him and respond, especially when they're so far away. There's a silent acknowledgement, but Anakin gets the impression that Obi-Wan is otherwise preoccupied, probably escaping with the twins. He'll have to keep waiting and hope that whatever damage is done is repairable.

"He might be pretending to have the good of all in mind, but the sad truth is, he does not." Tarkin smiles a bit maliciously, pausing to catch everyone's attention and make them even more curious. "He has betrayed you, each and every one of you. The truth… is that once upon a time, Lord Vader was General Anakin Skywalker of the Republic. He helped destroy the Jedi which, while a noble effort, means that he betrayed his own. Can you really trust such a man to be your Emperor, never knowing when he might turn on you next?"

Anakin goes rigid, even if the armor hides it. How – how does Tarkin know? That information was heavily censored, and all who possessed it were eliminated by Sidious' orders. Why does Tarkin know? Did Sidious tell him? Anakin has no idea what he can say to undo the damage which Tarkin just caused, but he does know that he can prove his sincerity by owning up to his mistakes.

At that moment, he feels Obi-Wan touch him through the Force, signaling that the rescue has been completed. Almost without thinking, Anakin steps forwards, closing his right mechanical hand around Tarkin's throat, strangling him. "And you. You would think to do what Palpatine did," Anakin snarls, "Sowing chaos everywhere you go. Were you perhaps planning to tell the truth about the Death Star? About the monstrous battle station capable of destroying planets, a project which I adamantly opposed?"

The truth is out; there's no point in denying it any longer. With his left hand, he unfastens the helmet, pulling it off his head and letting the galaxy see his face. Tarkin is struggling in his grip, trying to pry loose the metal fingers which are gripping so tightly that not even a sound can escape. Anakin squeezes, feeling bones break beneath his hand as he drops the now lifeless body to the floor, unceremoniously kicking it aside as he reclaims the podium. Now, it is time for the most important speech in his life, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous.

The Force ripples suddenly, a shockwave echoing through it, and he momentarily falters at the pain that tears through him. So many deaths so fast when the Death Star was destroyed – he is so proud of his little sister right now, for she is undoubtedly the one who took the shot – hurt the Force as well as him, because he's half-energy. Even so, Anakin doesn't let that stop him from speaking. He cannot appear weak before the public.

"Yes, it is true that I once went by the name Anakin Skywalker," he states, deciding to keep it as simple as possible. "I joined Palpatine when he promised me the power to save those I love, a mistake I will forever regret. The Jedi were not traitors. They did not betray the Republic. When Master Windu attempted to kill Palpatine, he was acting in self-defense, trying to save himself and eliminate the one threat to peace. Palpatine was a Sith Lord, and he was the one who orchestrated the Clone Wars with the sole purpose of forming an Empire to gain ultimate power over the galaxy. Everyone was being manipulated by him."

He can feel the Senators' shock, their stunned faces focused on him. "I cannot continue to be Emperor, and nor did I plan to be. I cannot be the leader the galaxy needs. I have committed many crimes, and while I will forever regret them, that is not enough to fix what I have broken. I know that. I accept that, just as I accept whatever fate my successor will bestow upon me. Regardless of that decision, I will still do whatever I can to ensure that the galaxy finds true peace. War and bloodshed have gone on long enough." Someone begins clapping, and soon, almost everyone is applauding. Bail later tells him that the ovation was far greater than when Sidious initially formed the Empire.

How many people, Anakin wonders, think that he died? As the applause begins to die down at least a minute later, Anakin looks at Bail for a moment. This is it. "I hereby appoint Senator Bail Organa as my successor," he declares. "I trust him implicitly to do justice to the galaxy and ensure that the Empire does not destroy whatever peace has been established in the wake of the Clone Wars."

This time, the cheers last far longer, and Anakin gets a strange sense of smug contentedness listening to it.