A/N: Just a warning since some of your complain about the cliffhangers. I am known as the "Mistress of Cliffhangers," on another site I post on, so they are an inevitable part of my stories. I think they are fun. That being said, we are at an important part of this story and cliffhangers will be prevalent. You have been warned. :)
Chapter 24: Duel with Organa
Anakin turned around quickly, putting himself between Padmé and the ruby lightsaber. What he saw surprised him, "Chancellor Organa?" The Chancellor's eyes glowed yellow as they stared back at him.
"Anakin, Bail is being used by the Sith. Sidious is controlling his mind." Padmé called out from behind him. She was gripping his shoulder tightly in fear.
"Indeed she is correct, my former apprentice. The Chancellor has been very useful in orchestrating my plans. Soon the both of you will be dead and your children will be mine."
"Never!" Anakin shouted, calling his own saber to his hand and igniting its blade. Pressing his sapphire blade against the crimson Sith blade created a few sparks and forced Sidious to draw Organa a few steps away from Anakin.
Turning his head slightly so that he could glance at Padmé out the corner of his eye Anakin stated, "Padmé, Masters Kenobi and Yoda should be here shortly. When they arrive, do what you can to get to them and get out of here." Anakin then turned his attention fully on Chancellor Organa who under Sidious' influence was taking up an offensive stance.
"But what about you?" Padmé asked before gasping and clutching her stomach as another contraction hit.
"I will do what I must. I want you out of here. It is not safe for you or the baby. Do not argue with me." Anakin called back as he readied himself for the upcoming battle.
Sidious' cackled at the exchange between the two lovers and replied, "It's babies, Skywalker, not baby. I do hope my new initiates do not inherit their mother's stubbornness; it will be trying to train it out of them. Even now you cannot control her. You have let her defy you too many times, a Sith would have forced her to do their will."
"I am not a Sith." Anakin replied coldly as he narrowed his eyes at his opponent.
"No, you are not, but your children will be." With Sidious' final statement, the Sith Lord pressed Organa into an attack, swinging his crimson blade to Anakin's right side. Anakin easily blocked the attack and attempted a series of quick jabs to push the Sith away from him. He was too close to Padmé and he did not want her near this duel with the Sith. It was too dangerous and she could be hurt if he wasn't careful.
Sidious easily blocked Anakin's attacks and decided to goad the young Jedi, "You will have to do better than that to defeat me."
In response, Anakin feinted an attack to Organa's left, but quickly changed positions and swung his sapphire blade towards Organa's right shoulder. The Sith Lord was able to block the attack, but not before Anakin had singed the skin of the Chancellor's upper arm. Organa howled in pain momentarily before the Sith suppressed his reaction and forced him to continue the fight.
"Anakin, Bail did not mean for this to happen, he has tried to fight it. Please be careful." Padmé called out. Her voice was shaking in worry for both her husband and her friend and colleague.
Anakin rolled his eyes, only Padmé would make a statement like that in the middle of a fight. He ended up ignoring her statement as Sidious pushed Organa into a series of spinning attacks. Organa was leaping and spinning towards the young Jedi, his crimson blade moving in a blur around him. Anakin now found himself backing up as he defended himself, but that was bringing him closer to Padmé. With a quick glance over his shoulder, Anakin made sure she was all right, before he blocked another spin attack from Organa. Anakin then moved his blade low and swung it at the Chancellor's ankles.
Organa leapt over Anakin's blade easily, but was unable to continue his spin attack. Anakin quickly moved his blade upward lashing out at the Chancellor in an attempt to disarm him. However, the Sith was able to continually block Anakin's attacks as they came from the left and the right. Anakin was becoming increasingly frustrated with his inability to disarm his opponent. He knew that sometimes the best way to advance on Sidious was to circle the Sith Lord, but Anakin could not risk that. Padmé was behind him and he did not want to leave the way clear for Sidious to do anything to her. The Sith's plans were to take his children which would mean Padmé was safe for the time being. However, Anakin was not going to give the Sith Lord any opportunities to change his plans. "Where is Obi-Wan when I need him." Anakin half growled to himself as another of his attacks to Organa's midsection was blocked as cerulean and ruby blades clashed.
As the battle continued, Anakin knew he needed to end this battle soon, he could hear Padmé panting behind him and knew he was running out of time. It did not look like he could count on Obi-Wan or Yoda. Taking a chance, Anakin shifted his body more to the right and was able to catch Sidious off guard. When the Sith tried to reposition Organa to block the attack, Anakin acted first and severed the Chancellor's left hand at the wrist.
Organa fell to his knees and dropped the Sith's blade, which had been in his right hand, to the floor. The lightsaber deactivated and rolled away to the side of the room. Organa cradled his wrist in his hand as he screamed in pain. The yellow tinge to his eyes faded as he cried out in agony.
"Anakin!" Padmé yelled through gritted teeth as her labor continued.
"Look Padmé, he attacked me, there was nothing I could…" Anakin paused his sentence and his eyes widened in fear as he glanced back at Padmé. The Sith Lord's lightsaber was still deactivated, but it seemed to be floating in midair. To make matters worse, it was moving towards Padmé who had stepped off the medical bed she had been on and was slowly backing up into a nearby corner.
A cackle echoed throughout the medical room to mix with Organa's moans of pain. The Sith Lord had left his host to exact his revenge another way. Even without a body, the Sith could use the Force to manipulate objects. "I shall have my revenge, young Skywalker." Sidious crowed as his crimson blade ignited once more. "Both you and Padmé will die and your children will be mine."
Padmé had a hand pressed to her abdomen in an attempt to protect her children as her back pressed against the wall the Sith had lured her to. Her eyes were wide with terror as she watched the Sith's lightsaber ready it's attack.
"Padmé!" Anakin screamed as he sprinted across the room towards her. He used the Force to enhance his speed and slid low to the floor to move underneath and dodge the Sith's saber that was starting to swing at his wife. Without the Force, Anakin probably would have collided with Padmé and all would have been lost. However, with the Force as his ally, Anakin was able to stop his skid and straighten himself in time so that the blade of his lightsaber blocked the Sith's deadly attack.
"Very good, my former apprentice. You still have great skill." Sidious' voice echoed as Anakin concentrated on pushing the Sith's lightsaber away from Padmé.
"You should know. I killed you last time we met." Anakin shot back.
"Yes, but you only made me stronger. You cannot kill me again." With this statement, Sidious violently spun his saber around Anakin moving it in positions that would be impossible if a physical being was handling the saber. Anakin had to concentrate to keep up with the crimson blade that swung to either side of him. Each of Anakin's blocks were made to push the Sith's presence away from Padmé.
Behind Anakin, Padmé slumped to the floor as another contraction hit and she tried to concentrate on breathing through the pain.
After a near miss to Anakin's shin, the Sith Lord tauntingly replied, "Face it Skywalker, you cannot defeat me. I will win."
