Anamnesis:
Every breath came in shallow bursts as Obi-Wan retreated from Anakin's extended reach. "You can stop this."
"It is too late for that." The younger paced the small area before an anchored workstation like a wounded Melorian tiger. The Borimai lights gave a cool sheen to his sweat dampened face. His intense gaze never left that of his former master as he moved across the deck toward the walkway the Jedi was so desperate to get too. With a cruel smile he shook his head in silent warning.
Anakin rushed forward, his weapon held in a two-handed grip.
The maintenance platform rattled with each landing, its size keeping the battle close-quartered as the combatants surged back and forth. The calmer Jedi easily deflected Anakin's emotionally charged slashes, but Obi-Wan could do little to protect the catwalk as it suffered under the onslaught. He knew they would soon find themselves at the bottom of the Senate chamber if the battle did not quickly end.
Gathering the Force, the Jedi channeled it as he reached out. Anakin, as if sensing his adversary's intent, leapt out of the way of the invisible attack and somersaulted over Obi-Wan's head. The Jedi spun about slamming the rail that Anakin meant to land on with a Force push. The support shook, jarring the blond haired man from his would-be landing and nearly toppled him over the edge onto the glass dome below.
Before the youth could fall, Obi-Wan rushed forward, grasping the black material of his tunic and pulled him forward just enough to allow him to tumble safely onto the deck. With the sweep of his boot, he kicked the lightsaber hilt out of Anakin's mechanical hand.
The instant the danger was sensed, it was too late and Anakin sent the Jedi flying. The young man rose to his feet and with a sharp motion called the dormant hilt back to his protective grasp. "More tricks and lies," he said as the saber snap-hissed back to life.
A long, deep exhale was the only answer the Jedi offered as he sadly shook his head. After all these years, did Anakin really know him so little?
How could he have been so easily taken in by Palpatine's dark machinations? The same way all the Jedi had, they believed what they did was in the service of the Republic. Palpatine had exploited Anakin's weaknesses.
Pushing the thought to the side, cerulean eyes focused on his wayward apprentice. While his heart refused to accept it, he knew that it might very well be too late to save Anakin. Still unwilling to give up, his thoughts raced over a thousand things he could say, all of which he knew would be firmly rejected. Then, in silent acceptance, he knew where he had to go to reach the young man. "What about Padmé?"
The azure blade faltered.
Taking advantage of the moment and wishing not to continue fighting his padawan–Anakin was still his responsibility–the Jedi rushed forward, hoping to make it to the walkway spanning between two maintenance platforms. If nothing else, he wanted to reach stable ground to finish the fight.
Underfoot the platform wrenched hard tossing its occupants to the side. Obi-Wan desperately gripped the rail, turning back to see Anakin's wickedly pleased expression and several severed suspension cables dangling next to him. A terrible moan filled the air as the deck twisted causing the catwalks attached to it to strain. Rivets cried out as they were pulled from their welding and the deck buckled.
A menacing look grazed Anakin's usually handsome features as he raised a trembling fist. "You will not escape," he said in an even tone. The Force writhed with the dark energies as it was brought to bear on the shuddering walkway. The platform shifted.
"Do not do this," Obi-Wan softly said.
"He was right," Anakin whispered.
With the simplest flick of his wrist, the fallen Jedi ripped a damaged section of walkway free and sent it flying to the side.
The chamber shook with the power of a great cataclysm the instant the twisted durasteel crashed into the Borimai glass. With the sound of a thousand cannons, the dome warped under the impact, then deep veins popped and laced across the shimmering surface maddening the strange lights.
"Where is my wife?" Anakin demanded. The glow of his bright blue weapon gave cruel lines to the tender flesh and formed dark shadows around his once gentle eyes.
"Safe," was the singular reply.
Incensed by the answer, Anakin lunged at his former master, his blade cutting cleanly through the air. The static clash sparked over the connecting platform as the blades slid apart. Obi-Wan's arms shook as he struggled to hold Anakin's fierce attack back. Blocking the barrage, he twisted and kicked out. The heel of his boot squarely connected with the other man's chest. Anakin grunted as he was thrown backward into the already damaged rail. The metal growled as it bent under the strain nearly toppling the former Jedi over the edge. His quick reflexes were all that saved him as he propelled himself forward again.
"Where is she?" Anakin cried out. His blade matching Obi-Wan's stroke for stroke before being caught in a low block. Completing a turn, the youth's bare hand crashed into the Jedi's jaw. Obi-Wan countered with a foot driven into the back of Anakin's calf.
The younger went down as Obi-Wan staggered back a step. The back of his hand dragging over his split lip smearing blood across the sweat coated flesh. Ginger strands dangled limply across his vision before being shoved back with rough fingers.
"She is afraid of what you have become," Obi-Wan rasped, his weariness with the fight showing itself in the heavy breaths he allowed as he fell back into a defensive position. "She wishes only for the man she loved to return, not a servant of the darkness."
"I am still that man," Anakin replied with a harsh voice before rising to his feet. His gaze narrowed. "She has nothing to fear from me."
"Does she?"
As a young initiate growing up in the Temple, Obi-Wan had always been filled with the warnings of not succumbing to the Dark Side. Fearful stories that he had held close all his life that even now in the heat of battle they came to him. For once touched by the Dark Side, forever would it dominate your path and all that you were would be lost.
He looked to Anakin and wondered if it were already too late.
No, he would not accept that.
The youth's bright gaze sought out the Jedi's calm but worn expression. For a moment, as brief as it was, Obi-Wan thought he saw a glimmer of the boy Anakin had once been. But like everything else, it passed into shadow as Anakin's expression hardened.
"If she does fear me, it is only because you have poisoned her with your lies."
Obi-Wan adjusted his footing as the platform shifted underfoot. "Do you think so little of her?"
"I have great faith in my wife. It is you whom I do not trust."
"Padawan–"
"Don't call me down like I am a child!" Anakin lashed out verbally and physically. Swiping the saber blade at a downward angle, Anakin left a long gash in the deck plating. "You have kidnapped my wife! What do you want me to think?" He struck driven by his anger.
Fire tore through the Jedi as Anakin's weapon sliced across his upper arm. Biting back an agonized cry, he retreated as far as the small platform would allow.
As Anakin approached, he punctuated every footfall with a word, "Now, where is she?"