Chapter 11 – Unmasked
Author's Note: Fun fact. Originally, chapter 10 was going to be the ending, but it was too depressing, so you get this, too. :) xD
~ Amina Gila
Anakin may have been planning to keep silent before, but especially after what happened with Padme, he doesn't know that he can. His loyalties to his master and to her and the Republic are tearing him apart, and he doesn't know what to do. Obi-Wan obviously trusts that he won't tell the Council, but... he's not his Obi-Wan anymore.
And they technically destroyed the Republic. Anakin himself doesn't know that he's against the idea of an Empire – with the Senate, he doesn't understand how they get anything done, simply because they don't – but it's... they've destroyed Padme's entire political career. He can't just do nothing about that. And with a Sith the head of the Empire... He can't keep silent. No matter what he decides, he's certain he's going to regret it, and he doesn't know what to do.
If he can't go to Obi-Wan for advice – which obviously he can't – there's really only one other person he can go to. Going there still feels like a betrayal but staying quiet is no less of one. What if people are hurt and he had the chance to stop it, but didn't? This is what the master who raised him would have wanted, isn't it?
(What if the Jedi decide to kill the Sith, Obi-Wan included?)
"Troubled, you are," Yoda observes, as Anakin settles across from him in his quarters.
"Yes, Master," he acknowledges. Now that he's here, there's no backing out. He can only hope this isn't a mistake. His guilt swells instantly, as he thinks of what he'll have to say now. That he knew this all along and said nothing. "I – I should have come to you on this sooner," he begins.
"On what, hmmm?" Yoda prompts.
Anakin doesn't know what the Jedi are going to do to him, either, for keeping this a secret, but... "More happened on... Mustafar than we informed the Council," he begins finally, past his hammering heart. This – it could be disastrous.
"Questioned this, I did," Yoda replies, and he sounds... not-so pleased, but waits for him to continue.
"The Sith, they – merged Obi-Wan's mind with his Sith counterpart. He... Fell, Master. He told me to conceal it, and I – did. I apologize for my deceit." He draws in a breath, trying to control himself.
"Working with the Sith, he has been?" Yoda asks.
Anakin nods. "But they – they do not want to fight with the Jedi," he adds, hastily, "I did not believe them at first, but they are... insistent that they do not. They want to restore peace to the galaxy, and they have. But... the Empress is not Senator Amidala. It's – that universe's version of her. They have her somewhere else where she is safe, but... I do not know what to do. They are Sith, but they have done nothing to give us a reason to fight them. The Sith are too strong for us to take action against regardless, and they all protect each other above all else."
Yoda taps his stick on the floor. "Told me this before you should have, but not too late, it is."
"What will you do, Master?" Anakin asks, warily. It feels like what he did was a betrayal, but not telling on them wasn't any better. He doesn't know what's right anymore. (He just wants Obi-Wan back.)
"Meditate on this, I must," the Grandmaster replies.
The instant urge to defend his master rises, if nothing just to make sure that they won't decide to imprison him or worse. "Obi-Wan still remembers his life here. He is – not lost to the Dark Side. He is... using it far less than he did in that time."
"Dangerous, this path is. Once start down the Dark path you do, forever it will dominate your destiny."
Anakin nods, breathing out quietly. Was this a mistake?
"Speak with Obi-Wan, I will," Yoda decides, and Anakin tries not to visibly tense, "Tell him that know the truth, I will not," the Grandmaster assures, "Perhaps time away from this, he needs. And keep him on the Council, we cannot."
"Yes, Master," Anakin murmurs. He can't ask for anything more. Maybe Obi-Wan does just need some time to sort everything out. He can't believe his Jedi side is that gone. Unless his Sith side was far worse than Anakin knows of. He has no idea, and... It hurts, and for a moment he wishes that everything could have stayed simple like it was before, without these interdimensional visitors.
They've helped people, though. Things the Republic would never have done. Besides, Vader only wanted his master back, and Anakin can't begrudge him for that, even if he's not happy with how it turned out.
"Meditate on all of this, you must as well," Yoda adds, and it's left at that. Anakin can only hope he made the right choice.
**w**
Vader isn't exactly surprised when his master calls him, though he didn't expect it to be so soon. "I'm being sent on a mission," Athair tells him, "I'll be off Coruscant for some time, I imagine."
Vader frowns. That is risky, to be sure. If the Council is going to take action, it would be better for them to have a forewarning. He isn't stupid enough to think the Jedi couldn't cause serious damage if they were to truly try. "You will still attend Council meetings, right?" Vader queries.
"We can hope," his master replies, "If there is a chance they suspect me, they might find a way around it. We would never know. I have been careful to cover my tracks. I cannot imagine I left a lead for them."
Vader hopes that means they won't have to worry. "Then they should not have a reason to suspect you, unless Anakin said something."
"He wouldn't," Athair replies firmly. "I know that much. He is loyal to me."
But if he thought Athair wasn't the same as his Obi-Wan? Vader, truthfully, has no idea what he would do in the reverse situation. He would never have told the Sith Council, to be sure, because that would be suicide, but he doesn't know he would be able to look at him as the same anymore, either.
To be fair, this Athair isn't the same as Vader's, either. He's... lighter. It's not as though his master was... overly dark at the end, but he was brutal, and he was terrifying.
And before, Athair would definitely not have tolerated a version of his apprentice being a Jedi simply because he didn't want to... hurt him. The Dark Side is pain, though, and Vader learned it through pain. He had known pain on Tatooine. He learned it, lived in it. Athair took that and used it to shape him, make into something stronger. He taught him to utilize it.
Sith training was always grueling, and he remembers, more times than he can count, forcing onwards, stubbornly, because his master was watching and expecting more – because he always wants more – every inch of his body aching. Athair had taken that and used it. It had taken... time for Vader to accept the ways of the Sith, and it had taken even longer for him to understand how much his master was shielding him.
Athair's repeated attempts at minimizing Vader's successes, all of them, tried to get him to stop trying, was because he feared Sidious would see it. Sidious was always there, lurking, threatening to take everything from them. Athair wanted to control him, in every way he could – because Sidious did the same to him. "Mercy is a weakness," his master had said, hand laying on his shoulder on their first mission together – Vader had been ten, just learning the Force. They were attacked by pirates and... his master showed no mercy.
And despite that, he can still remember the feel of Athair's arms around him, holding him against his chest when exhaustion overtook him. He remembers feeling his master's grip, tight, possessive, and only years later, does Vader wonder if that was his fear of loss. He knew Sidious could take Vader from him, too, if he wanted – that Sidious could take Vader as his own.
"I may not be able to communicate while I am gone on the mission," Athair adds, "I... suspect that something may be amiss, but it could be nothing. I do not think I will have time, regardless."
Vader nods, past his disappointment. He wishes they could be around each other more – they were with each other almost constantly once, to the point a part of him sometimes wanted space – and the change is so jarring. "We will... speak later, then."
"Yes," Athair replies, "And if I can, I will come here as soon as the mission is over."
**w**
"Will you be alright, Snips?" Anakin asks, standing near the ramp of the shuttle. He's on leave right now, and Ahsoka is going on a relatively simple mission with Barriss and Luminara – to help clean up the chaos left behind.
"Of course, Master," she chirps. "I'll be back before you know it. You're the one who might be chasing down Sith Lords without me."
Anakin can only be glad he's so good at keeping his expression neutral. "That is not likely. And if I was, you would go, even if you were here."
Ahsoka nearly pouts. "I could still help, Master."
If Ahsoka knew what it was he told the Council... He can't imagine how she would feel about it. Maybe he doesn't think the Sith are dangerous, but he knows he doesn't want her anywhere near them.
"Master?" Ahsoka's voice cuts through his thoughts. She's frowning up at him. "Are you okay?"
"Of course, I am, Snips," he promises, immediately. Has it been that obvious? "Why?"
"You seem... distracted," she offers.
"There is much at stake right now," he answers, which is the truth, before sending her onto the ship.
Now that Ahsoka's gone, he can leave for Tatooine without having to explain himself. It's been weeks since he was last there, and he needs to make sure Padme is okay.
"If it isn't Skywalker again," Ventress drawls as Anakin steps off the ship, outside what was once Jabba's palace.
"Anakin," Vader greets, giving her a pointed look as he approaches.
"I'm here to see Padme," he answers shortly.
Vader nods. "You are welcome to stay here as long as you want, without raising suspicion from your... Council."
He has no reason to suspect anything, and Anakin keeps his expression and emotions as unaffected as he can. The betrayal is still bothering him, but the Council hasn't actually done anything that he knows of, except for sending Obi-Wan off on that mission. He's been gone for a couple weeks now, and Anakin hasn't heard from him. "I am on leave," Anakin replies, "They have no reason to suspect anything." Talking to and being around any of the Sith is uncomfortable right now, remembering his conversation with Yoda, so he leaves his other self as soon as he can, going to talk to Padme.
**w**
Leia sensed Anakin showing up and would be a lot more excited about it if she wasn't feeling so miserable and cranky right now. No thanks to something monthly.
"I thought you'd be more excited about this," Luke says.
Ugh. Boys. "I am," Leia snaps, burying her head against the arm of the couch.
"Come on. You're a Sith. Pain only makes us stronger."
Leia flicks a hand, throwing one of the pillows on the couch at him with the Force. He tries and fails to duck. He throws it back at her head, and she doesn't bother trying to move. It's too much work anyway.
"Get up and walk around, and you'll be just fine," Rapax crows from the doorway, as though they haven't had stupid arguments about this a million times over already.
"Get out, both of you," Leia growls. For a moment, she suddenly misses Aunt Sabe. The one here isn't hers and never will be, and at least Sabe had the decency to be nice sometimes. She doesn't feel homesick for the other reality much, but sometimes... Sometimes, she misses how everything used to be. Her father was far more... depressed before, though, but she was used to it.
"Fine," Luke retorts, "But I'm drinking the rest of the blue milk without you."
"Whatever. I don't care." Because right now, she really, really doesn't.
"Don't say I didn't tell you," he chirps, breezing out of the room. She really wants to punch him again. Like very badly. She hears the other two walking out, and shifts a little, trying in vain to find a slightly more comfortable position.
"Are you all unaware how to treat someone who is... unwell?" she hears Anakin saying, from out in the hall. He sounds just like her father, but she can always tell which of them it is, even if she's not nearby.
"She's not sick. She'll be perfectly fine," Rapax says, from somewhere out of sight.
Anakin steps into the room, approaching her. His face is... strangely closed off, and she can pick up on his conflicting emotions immediately. Something's wrong. "Are you alright?" he asks.
"Will be," she grumbles, miserably, "You can stay here if you want." She thinks she's the one most excited about him being here – though she supposes she doesn't really know how her father feels towards him.
He sits on a chair next to her, expression strangely far-away.
In spite of herself, Leia shifts her position, reaching over to touch his hand. "Are you okay?"
Anakin takes her hand, squeezing it lightly. "I am."
"Uh-huh." She tightens the grip on his hand a little. "You're upset. About... all of this, I'm sure. I know it can't be easy." She can't explain why she cares so much even, but she does. She doesn't like seeing him upset, even if the answer may be for him to join them. She doesn't really want him to do that either – it's nice when he's Light. Even if no one else agrees with Athair on that, she does.
For a moment, he looks worn. "I have seen what you are doing for the galaxy, and your father only wanted his master alive. I cannot... fault him for that."
She frowns. "Did Athair – Obi-Wan – really change that much?"
"He... has."
"He's changed for Father, too. Father said Athair was much... darker before. But he's still him, isn't he? I know it's not the same, but..."
"Do not concern yourself with it," Anakin advises quietly, running a thumb across her hand. It's the same gentleness her father always treats her with. Technically her and Anakin don't really know each other, but in some ways, it still feels like they do.
"Is that really how Jedi are with each other?" she demands. She can see why Anakin wouldn't be comfortable talking to her about it, but... It's like he doesn't really know how to either. "I know you're different than my father but you're still... family."
Anakin blinks, guilt suddenly flaring into the Force around him.
"What?" she presses, "What happened? What did you do?"
"It's complicated, and not really important."
That feels like a blatant lie. She can't believe he thinks she'd fall for it.
She fixes him with a pointed look, and he looks away, sighing quietly. "I just did something I'm afraid Obi-Wan will be upset at me for. It's not... important."
"It must be if it's bothering you," she points out.
"It is not something you can... help with."
"Fine," Leia sighs. The conversation is wearing her out, anyway. "You're as stubborn as my stupid brother."
Anakin huffs out a surprised laugh.
"But you're... Light. It's – the Light is weak but..." Why is she telling him this? "It feels nice." She must have lost all sense of articulation thanks to the pain.
"Does it?" he asks.
"It's peaceful," she offers, "But I don't know how you can do it all the time." She finds herself far more curious than she should be, and maybe she's too annoyed at Luke and Rapax to care right now.
"Jedi must be calm," he replies, but somehow, it's not in that same arrogant way she always thinks of Jedi as talking, and it reminds her that he's teaching a student himself, "We cannot allow emotions to cloud our judgment."
"Isn't it more like... you can't have emotions at all?"
"We must learn to move past them." It's weird to think he's repeating what Obi-Wan taught him.
"Well right now, I should probably 'move past' my emotions of pouring blue milk over Luke's head," Leia offers. Okay, maybe she's being unnecessarily cranky, but she doesn't care right now.
Amusement flickers across his face. "You... want to feel the Light Side?"
"Maybe." What is she doing? "How do I do it?"
Anakin gives her brief instructions on how – sprawling on the couch is a strange way to try mediating, but whatever. Cautiously, Leia reaches into the Force, trying to find a center of calm, instead of automatically reaching for her emotions. It's strange because she never has before, but the Force responds to her call just as easily.
The feel of Light floods through her; it's easier with Anakin's brilliant presence burning next to her. It's just like her father's, only his is often like a black hole, albeit one that's still strangely gentle.
It does feel nice, even if she can't imagine only using the Light. It's like what she's been taught: it doesn't have nearly the same emotional depth.
That's about as far as she gets, though, because she senses the others approaching.
**w**
Luke feels the strange sudden lightness in the Force, and he almost instantly realizes that it feels like it's from... Leia? What?! Why does she feel like that?
He makes a beeline to the makeshift living room where she'd been before, to see her still sprawled on the couch, though she's holding Anakin's hand, and they both feel Light.
"What's wrong with you?" Luke blurts, eyes wide.
Leia jumps slightly, pulling back, the Dark Side flooding through her again as she eyes him. "Did you really skip out on all those biology classes?"
He groans. "That is not what I'm asking about!"
"I touched the Light Side," she replies.
"You – what? Why?!"
"I wanted to know what it would be like," she offers cheerfully, "You can calm down. It's not like I'm becoming a Jedi."
Okay, okay, he can get the curiosity of it, even if he wouldn't do it himself. That doesn't make him feel any less hysterical though, because the Jedi are still their enemies, even if they don't need to be hostile to each other. "I should hope not, or I'm definitely finishing all the milk without you."
"Isn't it strange the only Jedi we know is less irritating than you?"
Luke rolls his eyes, crossing the room over to the couch, and half-pulling her into a hug, as much as he can when she's still laying down. Okay, maybe he wasn't being very nice earlier, but he doesn't get what the big deal is. 'You have no idea how lucky you are,' she snaps at him almost every time.
Leia huffs. "Don't crush me."
He tugs her braid. "You're tempting me. I'll leave you in your... misery here now, unless you'll become a Jedi while I'm gone." He'd like to address the point a little further, but he frankly has no idea what to say. Leia was using the Light Side. What is he even supposed to say?!
"Yes, you're very kind," she snorts.
Luke pulls away, pausing to look at Anakin for a moment. "I'm glad you're here again," he says, and Anakin nods, giving him a small smile. He doesn't know if the feelings are entirely mutual, but he doesn't think the other is unhappy either. Maybe.
Luke leaves it at that, slipping from the room. He has things to take care of, and maybe he'd like a few moments to think about Leia's newest strange form of insanity. Though there's a curious part of him that almost wants to do it himself now, so he's definitely losing it.
He's working on one of the ships in their private hanger – that has tons of modifications from their future technology in the other reality, so it's far improved. He'd rather go flying right now, but he needs to get this fixed up first. Though his mind keeps wandering back to how weird Leia felt when she was touching the Light.
"You seem rather unfocused," Mara observes, stopping behind him.
A part of him is bursting to spill, and he can't help it. "Leia used the Light Side!"
"What?" Mara demands.
"She only... touched it, actually," Luke corrects, shrugging awkwardly.
"Why?"
"She wanted to know what it would feel like." He ignores the stupid part of him that almost does too, only because she did. He's a Sith, though. That's hardly a Sithly thing to do. That's far from what either of his parents taught him to do, so he won't.
Mara is staring at him like she's thoroughly convinced Leia grew two heads. "Why would she even care to know that?"
"Have you never been curious before?"
"Why would I be?"
Luke shrugs again. "Don't tell me you've never been tempted to do something only because you know you aren't supposed to."
"Not with this."
"Well, sometimes..."
"Don't tell me you're curious, too! Just because we have a Jedi around, doesn't mean they aren't still our enemies!"
"Hey, calm down. I was joking."
"If you're really serious about Leia, I think we should tell your parents."
Luke rolls his eyes. "It's not some big secret. And it was only for a moment, anyway."
Mara sighs. "Fine. I'll let you worry about it, but I don't think this is something you should even be considering."
"It's not." He doesn't know why her reaction is making him want to try it out even more. "Care to join me?"
"Sure." She moves closer, passing him the tools as he gets to work. The incident is still burning the forefront of his mind though, and maybe he will have a chat with Father about it afterwards. He doesn't really know what to think of it, and Mara isn't entirely wrong.
**w**
"I don't know what to think about having him here," Rapax huffs, as she, Vader, and the twins sit on the top deck of the palace, overlooking the surrounding sand dunes. Interacting with Anakin is... interesting, but it's still weird because he's too Light. He's a Jedi, and that's what matters most of all to her. It's only a concern if that's less true for the others.
"It is fine," Vader replies, sounding surprisingly unconcerned with Luke and Leia snuggled up against him on either side. "His presence here is not a problem for us."
"Leia using the Light isn't a problem for you?!" Rapax demands, straightening.
"I already spoke to her about it," he replies. Her master has always been lenient, more so than any Sith she's ever known, but she would expect more of a reaction about this.
"She is right here," Leia says loudly.
"And she is being corrupted by her Jedi uncle," Rapax complains. Leia glares at her.
"Rapax, that's enough," Vader interjects, "I once understood the... curiosity for the Light Side too."
"You did?"
"Once. We know what is stronger and that is why we will always choose it."
"So, you can all stop panicking," Leia huffs, though Rapax gets the feeling she's feeling a little more uncomfortable about everyone's reactions than she's letting on.
"If you're done making noise," Luke interrupts, "I think I hear a krayt dragon."
Now that he mentions it, Rapax can hear the noise, too.
"You're the one who makes the most noise here," Leia whispers.
Luke tries and fails to kick her, because he can't reach her properly with Vader between them.
Rapax snorts. "I think you'll have to save that for later."
"Save what?" asks Luke innocently.
She scoffs. "I think you are well aware of what. And see, Leia? I told you, you would be just fine."
"I do not believe your advice is of much help to her," Vader says flatly.
"Because she never follows it!" Her 'home remedy' advice on what to do is perfectly effective, thank you very much, and how precisely would Vader know anyway?
"You really have to talk about this now?" Luke asks loudly.
"This time, I agree with him," Leia mutters.
Rapax snickers, but they fall silent at that, and she silently watches the stars shining brightly above them.
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