"You wished to speak with me master?" Anakin asked as he knelt before the image of Sidious.
Sidious smiled. "Yes, a few hours ago I could feel your rage through the Force. Is your slave giving you trouble?"
Anakin winced at the question as he replied, "We had a disagreement."
Sidious cackled. "And?"
Anakin tried to think of something to tell his master without revealing all of the details of past events, "It has been dealt with. She won't be arguing with me in the near future. Anakin tried to hide his grimace as his thoughts floated back to Padmé's unconscious form.
Sidious continued to cackle. "Good, good." Sidious's laughter stopped and he took a more serious tone, "Now my apprentice, I have heard that you have found the rebels."
"Yes my master, we intercepted a transmission and it appears that a large number of them are massing near Sullust. It also appears that many of the rebel leaders may be there."
Sidious smiled, "Very good my apprentice, I see that you have been busy since we last spoke."
Vader shivered slightly but remained silent as his master continued to speak.
"You will destroy the rebels once and for all. Show those traitors no mercy. Their pointless war will be over and there will be no more talk of the Republic. The galaxy shall be mine. I will be the ultimate power!"
Anakin's brow furrowed as he took in what his master said. "But master, I thought we were bringing peace to the galaxy, and securing our citizens' well being." Vader said as he gazed up at his master.
Sidious smiled and replied, "Yes, my apprentice. Peace will reign in the Empire once again, once all citizens follow my rule."
"But…"
Sidious's eyes narrowed as his apprentice questioned him and he interrupted him. "Do I sense some hesitation from you, Lord Vader?"
"No, my master, it's just…"
"Just what?"
"Is power the only thing you want?"
Sidious cackled maniacally. "Of course it is my young apprentice, what more could a Sith want? Only through power can we achieve greatness. Imagine what you could have done with your powers if you had known them when your mother died. Sith power can only be gained through the control of others. By killing the rebels you will gain yourself enough power to fulfill your promise to your mother."
Anakin thought about this for a moment and then spoke, "Perhaps, but…"
Sidious's eyes narrowed again and his tone dropped in irritation, "Do you doubt me?"
"No, it's just…"
Sidious interrupted Anakin again, "You dare, to doubt me. I showed you what happens when you fail. Do I need to teach you another lesson, my apprentice?" Sidious wondered where his apprentice had formed all these new ideas.
Anakin shivered and bowed his head in deference to his master, "No, my master."
Sidious was pleased by this response. He had been concerned by his apprentice's line of questions, but he appeared to be completely submissive to Sidious's orders. Sidious smiled at the thought that it was easy to manipulate his apprentice. Sidious brushed off Vader's line of questions as youthful curiosity. Besides, he had felt the rage emanate off of his apprentice previously. It was obvious that he was a Sith Lord in every sense.
"Good. Remember that I saved you from a life in bondage, my young apprentice. You are here to serve me! Now go, destroy the rebels and bring me control of the galaxy." Sidious stated firmly before ending the transmission.
Anakin continued to kneel as his mind tried to process his master's last words. His eyes grew in shock as he replayed the words, "You are here to serve me!" This made it sound that Anakin had been taken from one form of enslavement and placed into another, but that was not possible, Sidious was a good man. He was a visionary who reformed a failing government system.
However, then Anakin recalled another statement from his master, "I will be the ultimate power!" Unlike the time when Anakin was being punished for failing his master, he knew that this statement was not said in anger. Most importantly, he had now made this statement twice, which could hardly make it a coincidence.
Realization dawned on Anakin. The man he revered as his savior was evil, corrupt, and power hungry. Anakin had followed the ways of the Sith in hopes that its power would allow him to help the galaxy, but now he could see that it had harmed it.
Anakin sat back on the floor and placed his head in his hands and openly wept. His emotions had been used and manipulated to support another man's greed. He felt betrayed that he had been released from one form of slavery only to be ensnared in another. Worst of all he grieved for the atrocities he had committed in the name of securing the Empire. Padmé had been right; he had just been a pawn to Sidious's ultimate plans.
Anakin's comlink rang and his Admiral spoke over it, "Lord Vader, we will be arriving in Sullust in a day. Anakin did not respond, and the admiral did not press him further. Instead, Anakin continued to grieve over how blind he had been to his master's true intentions. He had fought Padmé since the day he met her, but in reality she had always known the truth.
As his thoughts dwelled on Padmé, Anakin thought of the rebels he would be forced to kill tomorrow. It was bad enough living with his past atrocities, but this looming one seemed to hurt worse. He could never redeem himself, or could he?
Anakin realized that he would not be forced to destroy the rebels tomorrow. He was free to choose to go against his master. Perhaps he could help the rebels and stop Sidious from destroying the galaxy he naively thought he had been protecting. Tears fell from Anakin's face as his thoughts lingered on the fact that Sidious had manipulated him.
However, he realized that tears would not help the situation, now was a time for action. He was being given a chance to redeem himself. Anakin stood up and wiped the tears from his eyes. He was no longer anybody's slave and he was going to stop Sidious, his former master. Anakin quickly walked to his quarters. He hoped that Padmé was conscious and well because he had a lot to discuss.