—WARNING—

PART ONE OF THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M, AND CARRIES SEVERE TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY TOPICS SUCH AS: TORTURE, DRUG USE, EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION, PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE, HORROR THEMES, AND/OR STYLISED VIOLENCE.

Chapter 27: Diaboli Chorus

—Part One—

CORUSCANT: IMPERIAL PALACE: DARTH SIDIOUS'S INNER SANCTUM

Lord Vader ambled restlessly around Sidious's chamber, his weighted boots thumping as he moved about, picking up and inspecting everything. The obsidian Dark Side altar. The centre cauldron mounted on the ancient stone podium. The workbench where Sidious was currently working; touching the conical flasks and beakers, studying the bubbling distiller filled with the new serum he was finishing. Then, he finally made his way over to the wall-cabinets, the ones filled with all of the priceless artefacts, holocrons, ledgers and talismans Sidious had painstakingly collected through his many long years.

"You rarely bring me down here," Vader said.

Standing at his lab, Sidious tried to studiously ignore his curious apprentice, focusing on tweaking the ingredients to his new serum. Then, he glanced over his shoulder, saw Vader fiddling with one of the ancient holocrons. Sidious expelled a frustrated huff. "We each have our own private sanctums, Lord Vader," he said, watching him. "This... is mine."

Placing the holocron back on the shelf, Vader then selected an ancient tome with tattered edges and started to thumb through the pages. "There is a great deal of knowledge in here," he grumbled. "Yet, you share none of it."

Returning to his work, Sidious sighed and started to decant the finished serum into vials, so Vader could take them with him to Dromund Kaas. "Too much knowledge is dangerous, my friend."

Vader snarled, and slammed the book shut. "So, is too little."

His sudden burst of anger sent chills down Sidious's spine. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to focus, rather than responding to the poorly veiled challenge. "I sacrificed and worked hard to accumulate this knowledge, Lord Vader," he said calmly. "As so, must you."

Another surge of anger hummed across their bond; his apprentice seemingly unsatisfied with his response. "I have sacrificed!" Vader argued. "I have given you everything. Yet still, you refuse to teach me."

Scowling, Sidious turned from the bench. "You... are not ready!" he scolded, jabbing his finger.

Vader stared from across the chamber, methodically working his fists. Then, as if struggling to control himself, quickly turned away. Sidious stared at Vader's back, watched the sweeping cloak sway then settle on his heels.

"I have heard that before," Vader muttered. "I never believed... I would hear it from you."

His apprentice went silent, and Sidious sensed his emotions once again spiral out of control. Jumping and surging from broiling anger, to resentment, to fear... then finally, to resignation. A rattling groan came from across the room, which, through the vocoder sounded similar to a sigh. After several rhythmic cycles of his respirator, Vader finally asked:

"Was my defeat on Mustafar... such a disappointment to you... that you now see me as unworthy, Master?"

Sidious carefully placed the last vile of finished serum into the caddy. He braced his hands on the bench. Now it seemed Vader's catatonia was resurfacing, a likely result of his wife's perceived betrayal and his own withdrawals from the serum. Sidious closed his eyes and shook his head. Two steps forward, one giant step back. Unfortunately, it seemed his own plan had also backfired.

Instead of stoking Vader's anger in preparation for the ritual, it appeared he had unwittingly driven him to introspection. At times it was useful; serving as an immediate precursor to a fit of pure, unadulterated rage and self-hatred. But other times... well, he may as well have been a ghost; a hollowed-out shell of a man barely kept alive by the life-support system in his suit.

However, there was one poignant fact hidden deep within Vader's shrouded question. He still very much cared how Sidious felt toward him.

Curious, Sidious turned from the bench. Vader was stooped over, his armoured shoulders slumped forward, his helmet tilted to the floor. His adrenalin dump had evidently kicked in, and now it seemed he was coming down. "My dear boy..." Sidious said gently, intentionally keeping his tone soft. "Did I not rescue your broken body from upon those burning ashes? Was it not I, who taught you the secret to using your hatred and anger to sustain your life? Did I not use every resource available to repair what little was left of you?"

Vader slowly turned around, his respirator loud.

"Tell me, Lord Vader... would I have done all that, if I believed you unworthy?"

Vader seemed to consider this, then, after a moment, bowed his head in supplication. "Forgive me, Master. I do not wish to sound ungrateful."

Sidious felt the smallest trace of a smile tug at his lips. "Nonsense, my son. I of all people understand what troubles you," he said. "But in order for us to move forward, you must strive to put your past behind you. Until then, I fear you will always remain trapped in this limbo you find yourself in."

"Yes... my Master."

As much as he sensed Vader needed this conversation to continue, his fleet was undergoing preparations for departure, and Sidious was determined to go ahead with the procedure before their separation. If this ritual to form the dyad between them proved successful—unlike the many failed attempts between Plagueis and himself—nothing would ever come between him and Vader, again. It would form a bond so strong, so powerful, so complete... that not even his beloved Padmé would be able to sever it. Their powers would be united, just as their minds would be united... and then, nothing in the entire galaxy—known, or unknown—would be able to stop them.

"Now, enough of this kind of talk," Sidious said, eager to get started. "Come, join me. We must prepare you for the ritual."

Leaving his position by the cabinet, Vader obediently crossed the room and took his place beside Sidious at the workbench.

"Take off your headgear," Sidious instructed. He picked up the large injection gun and started to load it with serum. "Since you are unable to conjure lightning, we must maintain constant eye contact throughout the procedure."

Vader hesitated, then looked between Sidious and the injection gun. He was shifting his weight from foot-to-foot again, a reaction Sidious recognised as an indication of his unease.

"If you are concerned about your breathing, you needn't be..." Sidious said, flicking the needle-head to remove any air-bubbles. "If you begin to struggle, I will assist you."

"What... is in the syringe?" Vader asked.

Sidious glanced to his apprentice, noticed he had still made no effort to remove his helmet. "More serum," he said pointedly.

"The colour... it is different."

"Yes. I know." He waited for more questions, sensing Vader's growing distrust... then heard the click and hiss of his mask releasing. Glancing up, Sidious watched as Vader placed the headgear down on the lab bench, the groaning wheeze of his breathing louder and more laboured than usual. He looked to his face, saw the scarred remains of Anakin Skywalker staring back at him, complete with two very hazy blue eyes. Holding his gaze, Sidious smiled and offered his hand. "Now, remove your glove, my son... and give me your hand."

Vader offered his naked hand, and Sidious took it, turned it palm-up, then placed it down upon the counter. He pushed on the quilted sleeve of his suit to reveal his forearm. Then, retrieving the thick leather strap from his workbench, secured it around his bicep like a tourniquet, and pulled the belt tight.

"It may take a while for your body to adjust to this new formula," Sidious said, selecting the injection gun. He pressed the thick needle against Vader's skin, just below the inner crease of his elbow, and slowly pushed it in.

A pained, teeth grinding groan sounded from Vader, and Sidious looked up. He'd turned his head away; his eyes squeezed shut and his jaw clamped tight. Sidious pushed the needle deeper, all the while watching his apprentice fight to endure the pain.

"Are you sure..." Vader growled through his tightly clenched teeth. "You couldn't find ... A bigger needle ... To stick me with?"

Sidious laughed. That was one of Skywalker's most endearing traits, the way he always resorted to blunt sarcasm whenever he felt threatened. "Oh... I'm sure I could try, Lord Vader," Sidious snickered. "If that's what you would truly prefer."

Vader grimaced and growled again, as Sidious forced the last inch of the needle deep into his arm, narrowly missing the bone. "No... need," he grunted. "But thanks... for the offer."

Unable to contain his amusement, Sidious cackled with feral glee, and started to depress the plunger. He watched the purple serum creep down the needle chamber, taking great care to administer it gradually, so as not to force his apprentice into toxic shock. Vader suddenly jerked, and Sidious slammed down on his forearm, fighting to hold him still. "Do not move!" Sidious snapped, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.

"What ... IS IN THAT?" Vader shouted, his wide blue eyes dilated and glaring. His laboured breathing grew shallower and more rapid by the second. Then, Sidious felt Vader's pulse sky-rocket beneath his grasp, his heart rate accelerating out of control. Upon the workbench, the glass beakers and conical flasks started to shake. He needed to settle Vader down, fast, before he destroyed the place.

Squeezing his arm in a death grip, Sidious held on tight and locked stares with his apprentice. "CALM YOURSELF!" he commanded, pushing the full extent of his Dark power toward him through the Force.

Vader howled and blanched at the command; his violent outcry shattering the empty vial in the injection gun, spraying shards of wet glass and metal into the confined space between them. Sidious winced, as one of the shards lanced his upper cheek, striking just shy of his left eye. Blinking, he hissed and looked down, saw Vader's arm bloodied and covered in deep gashes.

"I told you to calm yourself!" Sidious scolded, working quickly to remove the needle and tourniquet.

The instant the tourniquet was off, Vader snarled and roughly jerked his arm to his chest. Swaying unsteadily, he staggered and backed away from the bench, shaking his head from side-to-side, and choking like a strangled hound. And it soon became obvious from his hindered breathing, that he was about to pass out.

Noticing his apprentice's blood dripping and pooling everywhere, Sidious grabbed a towel and cautiously followed him around the room. "Hold still!" he ordered, chasing Vader down. "Before you damage yourself further."

Jerking his head up, Vader suddenly locked stares with him from beside the cauldron, the look of impending death written all over his face. Sidious watched him curiously, as his now vibrant cerulean-blue eyes went unnaturally distant.

As if he was looking through him; not at him.

"Master..." Vader whimpered, still defiantly backing away. His voice was fading. His blinding Force presence ablaze with utter panic. He was fast losing consciousness, his unseeing eyes moving to dart wildly around the chamber. Unsuccessfully barking and heaving for breath, Vader stumbled, lost his balance and ungracefully thundered backward. He slammed into the cabinet, awkwardly grabbed for one of the shelves—

and Sidious lunged forward—half a second too late.

Vader crashed to the floor... taking the many priceless holocrons and artefacts from the cabinet down with him. And by the time Sidious reached his side, he was already out cold.

DROMUND KAAS: KAAS CITY

"General, I have just received word from the officers that we are down to one month's worth of supplies," Commander Appo said, walking into the main sitting room. "The lieutenant thinks they could potentially push it to six weeks, if they stretch them."

Sitting on the sofa with Aleria and Sabé, watching Luke and Leia playing on the rug, Obi-wan looked up from his datapad. He glanced over his shoulder to the trooper. "But how is that possible?" he asked. "Has the supply ship not arrived yet?"

Commander Appo cocked his helmet. "What supply ship, sir?"

"The one Lord Vader ordered," Obi-wan said pointedly.

"I was not aware he had ordered one, sir."

Putting down his datapad, Obi-wan then folded his arms and stared at Appo. "Well, I know that he did, Commander. I was there when he ordered it."

"I'm not sure what else to tell you, General," Appo said. "But according to the guys downstairs, supplies are running low."

Commander Appo didn't seem to want to budge on this. Maybe he didn't know about the ship. Obi-wan stroked his beard, trying to piece it all together. Though, how an Imperial base's supply problem, had suddenly become his problem, he had no idea. He'd have to thank Anakin for that when he finally got back. Anyway, back to the ship... and the supplies. According to his calculations it should have arrived roughly two standard days ago, at least that's what the manifest had said. So, where could it be?

"That doesn't make any sense," Obi-wan muttered, rising from the sofa. He went to Vader's desk, took his seat, and immediately brought up the shipping logs. "It ought to have been here by now, surely," he said, mostly to himself. "He even signed for it with his official code cylinder, to make sure it was sent high priority."

Sabé called out from the sofa. "Maybe it's been delayed."

"Sabé has a point, Obi-wan," Aleria said from beside her. "It is possible that at least one of the items he ordered might have been delayed. Some were particularly specific requests, and needed to be made to order."

Obi-wan frowned at the red-headed doctor. "Still... it shouldn't take this long, should it?"

Aleria dragged her fingers through her hair. "Well, Rhinnal State does pride itself on being professional, yes," she said. "But they are not immune to manufacturing delays."

He returned his attention to Vader's desk and started searching the hyper-map. He was looking for an ID that could potentially be their missing freighter, but there were hundreds of ships to wade through. Then, something roughly tugged on the side of his robe, interrupting his focus, and he waved his arm to brush it away.

A little voice whispered from beside his leg. "Obi. Help."

Confused, Obi-wan looked down, saw Leia staring up at him with her doll in her hand. "Stop it, Leia. I'm busy." He did his best to ignore the young Skywalker, then widened the range on the scanner to continue his search. "Star destroyer... star destroyer... star destroyer... another star destroyer," he muttered. "How many of those blasted ships does he even need?"

"It is a big galaxy out there, General," Appo offered. Un–helpfully.

Obi-wan groaned. "Yes, I am aware of that, Commander. Thank you."

Leia whispered, and tugged again. "Obi. Help."

Rolling his eyes, Obi-wan looked down, his frustration getting the better of him. "No, Leia. Not now. Go play over there."

Leia frowned. Her deep brown eyes accusing and angry, just like her mother's. She tugged harder, far too powerfully for a one-year-old, and almost yanked Obi-wan sideways. "Obi. Help!"

His attention being jerked from the navigational scanner, Obi-wan turned to glare at the youngling. "Leia!" he yelled in frustration. "How many times do I have to tell you—"

A second voice, and tug came from his other leg, and Obi-wan instantly looked over and saw her brother. Great, now Luke was at it, as well.

"Help. Obi. Help!" Luke said.

"Not you too..." Obi-wan complained, rapidly losing patience. "Can't the two of you see I am trying to..."

Out of nowhere, a torrent of blinding pain slammed into his head. Icy, cold, grievous and excruciating. Like he was being burned, and stabbed, and crushed all at the same time. He squeezed his eyes shut and cradled his temples; a sudden high-pitched whistle screeching in his ears, the noise so loud he thought a bomb had gone off.

Then, without warning... everything vanished, and went silent.

"Master..."

Obi-wan froze; panic squeezing his chest. "ANAKIN!"

Something was wrong. Horribly wrong. So wrong, that despite everything, Anakin had actually felt the need to reach out to him across their bond. Obi-wan blinked back a flood of tears. Wave after gruelling wave of terror and fear pummelled him through the Force. Where was Anakin? What was happening to him? And what in seven hells could be so damned horrifying, that it made a Sith Lord scream out for help?

Unable to sit still, Obi-wan jumped from the seat. Heart and mind racing, he stared around the room, numbly checked each face, not truly seeing anyone, not knowing who he was truly looking for. He slumped forward to Anakin's desk, braced his sweaty hands on the console.

"Obi. Help!" Luke and Leia both pleaded simultaneously, tugging again at his robe.

Obi-wan shook his head, fought to pull himself together. He glanced to the twins, the fresh tears spilling down his cheeks. "Oh... how could I have been so foolish?" he berated himself, and Anakin's children smiled, as if somehow knowing he'd finally gotten their message. "One day I'll learn, young ones..." he choked to the pair, gently tousling their hair. "One day."

Freeing himself from between them and the desk, Obi-wan turned and bolted for the door. He ran for his room, and yelled to the others over his shoulder. "Sabé, Appo, Aleria... watch the twins! I have to go."

CORUSCANT: IMPERIAL PALACE: DARTH SIDIOUS'S INNER SANCTUM

Heat. Inescapable heat. A blazing hot fire was tearing through his veins, burning his skin, searing him from the inside out. Vader groaned, and tried to open his eyes.

But they wouldn't respond. As if the message somehow got lost in transmission. As if they no longer answered to him at all. His head was pounding; banging and thumping painfully against his skull. Like some foreign creature was going on some bloodlust fuelled rampage inside his mind, and ripping it to shreds. He could feel his mental shields thinning, the iron-clad barricades succumbing to some insidious toxin. His usually impenetrable defences gradually being eroded by acid.

Slowly, memories started to return. Foggy, difficult to make out, but coming back nonetheless. He remembered standing beside his Master. Remembered him ordering him to remove his helmet. And so, trusting him; he'd done it. Then came the tightness in his chest. The scraping and burning sensation in his lungs as he'd fought to breathe.

Now, a cool rush of air brushed across his nose and mouth, and he felt himself draw it in. The soothing wash of crisp oxygen filling his lungs, and calming his scorched throat.

Another memory returned. The metallic handled injection gun. The strange, glowing-purple serum filling the syringe chamber. The same serum the Force had repeatedly screamed at him about, desperately warning him not to go near it. Mere seconds before his Master had stabbed him. Pumped the insidious purple ooze deep into his veins. Set his arm on fire, the toxic serum tearing through his flesh like a scalding hot knife through ice.

The second that tourniquet had loosened, the poison had flooded his body, infiltrated his mind, and sent him into a raging panic. The Force had warned him to run. To run and hide from his Master. To get away from him while he still could.

But it was already too late. The damage had been done. And even as he had backed away, futilely fought to put space between himself and his Master, he had sensed his mind breaking. The mental shields he'd so painfully constructed over the last few months, growing weaker and weaker by the second.

Including the ones around Luke, and Leia.

That was when he'd known he was in trouble. Serious trouble. And so—as he'd felt his consciousness fading; his body rapidly shutting down and failing around him—he'd done the only one real thing he could think to do.

He'd called out to Obi-wan.

Something warm and clammy pressed down against his forehead. A burst of energy pulsed through his nerves and muscles, willing him to move. Then, a commanding tone called out to him from somewhere in the distance.

"Awaken... my son."

And, he did. Like he'd had no real choice in the matter.

Opening his eyes, Vader deliriously gazed up into the face of his Master. His Sith yellow eyes staring deep into his own. The deceivingly frail hooded-figure of the man who had once been his friend, his confidante, his mentor... like his father.

Now stood over him. Like he was about to devour him.

And all Vader could do was stare. Powerless to resist him. Completely at his mercy. The best he could do now, was submit. Surrender himself like he had done one year ago. It was the only choice he had. Just like it had been back then. There was no going back.

Sidious smiled at him, his smouldering eyes seemingly dissecting him; almost as if he was looking for something. "Lord Vader. Can you hear me?"

"Yes... my Master," he heard himself answer. His voice sounded foreign without the vocoder, missing the familiar cadence and baritone of Vader's voice.

"How... are you feeling?" his Master asked. Not out of compassion, but concern. Concern that his weapon may have been damaged. "Can you stand?"

Vader looked down, saw the blood-soaked towel wrapped around his arm. Then dazedly checked the rest of his body and his surroundings. His vision was obstructed, partially blocked by the oxygen mask strapped to his face. Cautiously removing it, he dropped the ventilator to the ground and leaned back, first needing to get control of his breathing.

He looked around again, noted he was sitting with his back against the wall, his long cloak tangled around his legs. Red shards of shattered glass, and remnants of broken talismans littered the solid adamantine floor. Along with the splintered and cracked cabinet shelf he must have taken down when he'd fallen. He moved his leg, managed to bend the right one back toward his chest. Then, grabbing at the folds of his cloak, he carefully released it from within the joint of his shin plate. His leg now freed from his cloak, Vader braced his hands on the floor and carefully pushed up to test his weight—

And shakily rose to his full height. All two metres of it.

He gazed down at his Master, his vision hazy, still drifting in and out of focus. And his Master moved closer, lifted his gnarled fingers, moved to straighten the chain and clasp of Vader's cloak around his neck and shoulders. Then, he patted him twice on the chest.

"I'm glad to see you up, my son," his Master said. "But, unfortunately... there is no time for you to rest. Your fleet is almost ready, and we still have the ritual to perform."

Vader closed his eyes, and gently bowed his naked head. "Yes... my Master."

Taking hold of his hand, Sidious slowly guided him over to stand by the cauldron. He placed both of his hands upon the stone rim, then patted them as if to say: now, your hands stay here.

Opening his eyes again, Vader looked up. "Master?"

"Yes, my son," Sidious answered. "What is it?"

"Our previous attempt to form the dyad failed," Vader said cautiously. "What makes you think... we will succeed this time?"

Taking his position on the opposing side of the cauldron, Sidious raised his hands at the ready, and gave him one of those sickly, carnivorous smiles. "Because, this time, my apprentice... I have discovered the secret. A secret so elusive, that it even evaded my own Master; Darth Plagueis."

Vader stared at his Master, desperately wanting some sort of answer. Needing some hint or idea as to what he was about to go through, because their last failed attempt had sent him to the bacta tank for three days. Not only that, but he could still remember the sensation of his Master stabbing around inside his mind. Back then, he had been all for the dyad, wanting nothing more than to get closer to his Master, whatever the cost... but that was before. Before finding Padmé, and his children, and Obi-wan.

Now he had secrets, and his family to protect. And with his mind and body still unsteady, unfocused and heavily weakened by the new serum, he'd never been more anxious in all his life.

"What ... Secret?" Vader demanded, his anxiety notably creeping into his voice.

"Oh... it is quite simple when one takes time to think about it, Lord Vader. The dyad requires representation from both sides of the Force to form the union. Which is precisely why we will succeed... Where so many Sith before us have failed." His Master locked gazes with him, and there was a sudden feral hunger burning within his eyes.

"I don't understand, Master," Vader said, shaking his head.

Sidious cackled, and looked down to the black syrup-like substance bubbling in the cauldron. He wriggled his fingers, cracked his knuckles, then met Vader's gaze. "You will, Lord Vader. I assure you... You will."

His Master snickered. Then, as the crackle and hiss of his electric power started to dance across his fingers—

He paused, aimed his fingers at the cauldron, and looked to Vader, his lips thin and twisted into a vicious sneer. "Now, my apprentice... focus on my eyes. And don't... try to fight me."

And in a blinding flash of blue light, Vader felt himself surrender, lost to his Master's penetrative gaze. An instant later, he lost all control of his own mind and body in one agonising strike.

• • •

Sidious tore through Vader's mind like a category five cyclone. Mercilessly slicing and ripping through his shields, searching for the Light he knew was buried inside here somewhere. Ahead of him, the ghost of Anakin kept darting between the shadows, the occasional gleaning sparkle of his blue eyes shimmering in the distance.

"Anakin, my boy..." Sidious called out into the darkness, donning the silky-smooth voice of Palpatine. "Why are you running from me? Are we not friends, you and I?"

Two rusty steel doors violently slammed down and blocked his path, and Sidious raised his hands, blasted his way through the barricades as if they were paper. The blackened tunnel shuddered in protest to the attack, fought to close him out... But Sidious was too strong. He held open their mental connection with bare minimal effort; Vader's shielding abilities severely weakened by the new serum.

"Come here, my boy..." Sidious tried again, spotting a brief flash of light dart around the next corner. He quickened his pace, Palpatine's lavish burgundy robes dragging on the floor around his feet. "I only wish to speak with you," he implored. "I thought that we trusted each other."

"I was wrong to trust you!" Skywalker screamed from within the shadows. "You just want to use me. Like everyone else does!"

And with that, a gale-force rush of wind roared down the tunnel, the blast momentarily slowing Sidious's approach. Sidious cackled. Finally, he'd cracked Skywalker into responding. "Now, now, my dear boy... we both know that isn't true," the voice of Palpatine reasoned. "I only want to help you."

Skywalker screamed again. "LIAR!"

Quiet whispers echoed from down the tunnel. Then, a tiny flicker of light shimmered in the darkness. Soon followed by another...

And the ghost of Skywalker rushed into view. He was ushering someone ahead of him. No, not someone... Two someones. What was this? Sidious squinted, focused hard on the two figures. They looked like a pair of younglings; a small girl and a small boy, not more than two years old. Then it struck him.

Of course!

Blinded by rage, Sidious roared down the tunnel. "I knew you were hiding something from me!" He instantly dropped the friendly Chancellor facade, and sprinted toward the family, moving at preternatural speed.

Skywalker whirled to face him. His golden hair flowing on the wind, his blue eyes flaming with reckless abandon. He ignited his sapphire blade, twirled it into position. Then, adopting his predictable Ataru stance, yelled over his shoulder to his supposed-to-be-dead offspring. "RUN!"

"You fool! Did you really think I wouldn't find out?" Sidious screamed. "Did you honestly believe; you could hide them from me indefinitely?"

The tunnel rumbled and shook, the ground shifting and quaking like being rattled by some giant seismic tremor. Sidious looked up, saw the rock ceiling overhead starting to crumble and separate. Time was running out, and he knew he'd have to finish this quickly. Soon Vader would shake off the effects of the serum and realise what was going on. And if Sidious didn't have hold of Skywalker by then, it was practically 'game over'.

"I won't let you have them, Sidious," Anakin snarled, his tone dripping with venom. "You go after them... and I will rip you to pieces... and spread every last trace of your hideous existence across every system in the known galaxy."

"You think you can stop me?" Sidious hissed, baring his yellowed teeth. "Once I have you, nothing will protect them from me..." He raised his hands, and cast his Dark tendrils forward, the sickly black tentacles screaming through the space between them.

Skywalker futilely batted at the tentacles. He jumped, and somersaulted, and slashed at them with his blade, each angered strike proving pointless. One tentacle wrapped around his leg, and he wrestled with it, desperately trying to pry himself free. Another tentacle grabbed hold of his right arm, forcing him to drop his lightsaber. Once he was disarmed, the rest of the tendrils flooded forward, the black leeches angrily squirming and squealing. In mere seconds, they totally overwhelmed the boy, wrapping and entwining themselves around his feeble Jedi body.

Then, with one last defeated growl... Skywalker hit the ground. He laid on the floor. Groaning and writhing, encased in an inky black mass of pure Dark Side malevolence.

Cackling at his victory, Sidious proudly strode forward, his hands still connected to the tendrils, his eyes hungrily drinking in the sight. Skywalker was his. Which meant all of Vader was now his... and once he consumed him, the dyad would be complete.

DROMUND KAAS: KAAS CITY: OBI-WAN KENOBI'S BED-CHAMBER

Deep in meditation, Obi-wan watched the confrontation between Anakin and Sidious; as if he was there... feeling absolutely powerless. He watched Anakin protecting the twins, forcefully shoving them deep into the darkest corners of his mind in a last-ditch effort to try and save them. Sidious saw them, of course, and now their secret was out. Infuriated, the Sith Lord unleashed all of his dark might and fury on Anakin, seemingly determined to subdue and overwhelm him.

Obi-wan was helpless. He could see Anakin battling with the tendrils, resisting, and resisting, fighting them back until they finally overcame him. The Dark Side had won. Darth Sidious had won. It was like watching the Temple security recordings all over again.

And that was when Obi-wan heard himself cry out.

Everything went black. Then suddenly, he was there. Standing on some high ledge, in the very same dark tunnel. With Anakin. With Palpatine. Watching his fallen brother being mercilessly consumed by the Dark Side of the Force. Sidious was cackling, his yellowed teeth shining in the low light, his hands jerking and thrusting forward, commanding the black tentacles like they were some giant squirming rathtar from Twon Ketee.

He couldn't wait in the shadows any longer. Springing into action, Obi-wan jumped down from his hidden ledge and ignited his lightsaber. He landed cat-footed between Anakin and Sidious, then straightened to his full height. Only to find himself staring right into the haunting, haggard face of the Sith Lord Emperor himself. Obi-wan smiled, gave Sidious his most customary of greetings. "Hello there!"

Sidious snarled at him in disgust and disbelief. "YOU!"

"Yes, me!" Obi-wan answered haughtily. Then, with several graceful and precise strikes of his blue blade, he expertly hacked and sliced at the tentacles, watched them fall limp and evaporate.

"NO!" Sidious shouted, pulling out his own weapon and igniting the red blade. He screamed like a banshee and immediately rushed forward.

And as he did, Obi-wan calmly put his hands up. Drawing deeply on the Force, he focused his strength and sent forth a burst of power. The almighty pulse of Light blasting the wailing Sith Lord backward, and deep into the abyss.

Panting heavily, Obi-wan slumped forward, and braced his hands upon his shaking knees. He still couldn't believe how he'd arrived here. One minute, he was in his room on Dromund Kaas, the next, he was standing in this tunnel. He looked around, saw the shattered remains of his surroundings. Twisted shield doors laid buckled and broken by the walls. Gaping cracks and impact points littered every dark wall and ceiling. Wherever this tunnel was, it looked as though it could cave in at any moment.

A strangled groan echoed from behind, and he turned around. "Obi-wan..." Anakin moaned weakly, still wrapped tight in what was left of the sticky tendrils.

"Hold on, Anakin. I'm coming," Obi-wan said, rushing over to help him.

When he reached his brother's side, the damage was far worse than he'd suspected. One of Anakin's eyes were red-raw, and there seemed to be hundreds of angry black burn marks wherever the tendrils had touched him. His light had dimmed significantly, the resilient blinding Force presence that normally fought back Vader's darkness, was now reduced to a mere flicker.

Anakin lulled his head to the side, his long hair cascading along his jaw, a thick black molasses type ooze slowly seeping out the corners of his mouth. "Obi-wan... the twins..." Anakin groaned, as if the words were stuck deep in his throat. "He knows... he knows. You must... keep them safe."

Obi-wan brushed the limp tendril pieces away from his brother's body, watched them turn into vapour. Then, grabbing hold of Anakin by the shoulders, he hoisted him up, helped him into a sitting position and stared into his eyes. "You know I will, Anakin," Obi-wan said firmly. "But I won't be doing it alone. I've got you."

Anakin's eyes started to droop closed, as if the burden of keeping them open was simply too heavy to bear. "Obi-wan..." he whispered. "Promise me... please..."

Holding Anakin tight to his chest, Obi-wan hung on his every word. "Go on, Anakin. I'm here."

"Promise me... that when the time comes... you will... keep them safe."

Obi-wan felt tears well in his eyes. He watched the syrupy black ooze drip onto his brother's chest, the poison ick of the Dark Side seeping into his tunic. Obi-wan squeezed Anakin's body tighter, then started to rock him back and forth. "I won't let you go, Anakin," he promised. "I give you, my word. I won't let him take you without a fight."

"I am... glad to hear it," Anakin croaked. Then, clearly exhausted, he slumped forward onto Obi-wan's chest, and abruptly passed out.

Sighing, Obi-wan heaved Anakin's deadweight body into his arms. Then, forcing himself to his feet, proceeded to carry him down the tunnel, deep into the distant flickering light. Taking Anakin back to where he could be at rest and heal; knowing in his broken heart, that his children would be safe.

IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER EXACTOR: LOW ORBIT OVER CORUSCANT

Standing before the Exactor's sweeping viewport, Vader gazed out at the polluted city planet that encapsulated his suffering. His ears were ringing, his mind a garbled disjointed mess, skipping back and forth like some useless broken holo-record. Images repeatedly flashed in his mind's eye: of his Master stabbing him, the glowing purple serum, the injection gun with a needle so thick, it could penetrate the hide of a zillo beast. He squeezed his fists tighter, felt the leather of his left glove dig into the skin of his flesh hand.

No matter how hard he focused, he couldn't remember past standing at the cauldron with his Master. All he knew, was pain. Searing; agonising; excruciating... pain. His head was like a warzone, as if hundreds of bombs had exploded inside his skull, the resulting shrapnel buried deep inside bone—festering.

However, one thought remained, as vivid as the lights in the bridge of his Star Destroyer: him calling to Obi-wan. That thought was stuck fast, as was the crippling panic and fear that had driven him to such madness. What he couldn't remember, was why? And that... that was infuriating.

"Lord Vader!"

He looked to the reflection in the viewport transparisteel, saw the Exactor's captain standing behind him. "Yes, Captain. What is it?"

"The Grand Inquisitor wished for me to inform you, that he and his team are secured on board. And that he will be up to join you momentarily."

"Thank you, Captain." He turned from the viewport to face the officer, feeling the heavy weight of his cloak sway at his back. "Prepare the ship to break orbit. We leave for Dromund Kaas, at once."

The captain clicked his heels together and saluted. "Yes. Lord Vader."

Clasping his hands behind his hips, Vader turned back to the viewport, settled into his parade stance, and listened to the familiar cadence of the bridge crew calling out, as they prepared for the jump to hyperspace.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Well... this part was fun to write. I had "Devil's Dance" by Metallica playing the whole time I wrote it, hence the Chapter name.

And... that's probably why it's a bit darker than the others.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Thank you so much for your reviews/follows/favourites... you guys are the best!

Next part: Dromund Kaas & Yavin 4.

Thank you so much for reading.

And as always MTFBWY.