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There are only two chapters left after this one. Hang on its going to be bumpy ride!
Chapter 13 - Clash of the Titans
Anakin and Sidious crossed blades. Two who were once friends were now foes locked in combat to determine the fate of all present. The emperor spun on his heels and advanced on the young Jedi. He swung his blade effortlessly with an air of confidence and aggression. Sidious grunted and snarled enjoying every moment of the battle with Anakin. In his mind he already saw this as a victory. He knew killing Anakin would not be necessary, that he would indeed fall to the darkside. Patience was all that was required. As for the whereabouts of his current apprentice, Sidious felt he was near but could not understand why he did not answer his previous call. Something unusual was happening but he could not devote anymore time thinking about it as he fought. Skywalker was indeed a powerful adversary, powerful enough to command all his attention.
Patruus was aboard his ship, which was stationed on the platform beside Padme's cruiser. He intently watched every stroke of his brother's blade, every block and defense tactic used in the duel. He studied Anakin's fighting style and even committing some of his techniques to memory. He sensed his master's growing anger and frustration as he ignored Sidious's repeated calls. He put his feet up on the control console of the ship and placed both hands behind his head. His eyes would narrow at each move Anakin made that intrigued him. Every so often his eyes would drift back over to Padme's still form lying on the ground. He smirked to himself as such an intense feeling of assurance rose in him. Victory was but a hair's width away.
Anakin was a little surprised at how fast the Sith lord moved. This appeared to be another lesson on how looks can be deceiving. The heat of the lava beneath them didn't slow Anakin down but in fact kept him going. It mirrored the increasing anger that he was now struggling to suppress. He forced himself to bite back his emotions and keep himself from doing the thing he wanted most of all. Anakin swung his blade back and forth. He twirled and back flipped as the emperor advanced. Spinning the blade around his back and making a 90-degree turn, he was able to block another blow that came dangerous close to his left shoulder.
"Your wife will not survive the length of this fight, Skywalker." The emperor sneered. "You have no choice but to join me. Kill your brother and take his place by my side. I promise you a life of peace and prosperity for the lives your wife and child."
Anakin ignored the offer and force pushed the emperor meters away.
"You have much anger and much hatred, Skywalker. You also have great fear. You have been blessed with a potential in force that none other can possibly image. The Jedi will only hold you back from the greatness you can achieve. If you want to defeat me, use your passion, your aggression and destroy me."
"I will not join you. I never will." Anakin scowled.
"Anakin--" The emperor's voice feigned disappointment.
"Enough!" Anakin yelled. "I don't want to hear anymore about this!"
As Patruus watched the duel, waiting for Anakin to kill the emperor, the voice of Captain Narsmet interrupted his concentration.
"My lord Patruus."
"What is it, Captain?" Patruus was annoyed.
"We have a vessel entering the atmosphere. It bears the same markings as Skywalker's. It appears to be another Jedi starfighter."
"What!" Patruus sat straight up and checked his scanners. The indication that the Captain was correct threw Patruus into a rage. He stood up quickly and removed his cloak. He extended a hand and called his lightsaber to him from another chair in the cock pit. He paused just before exiting his ship. Who could this be? Who would dare come here and interfere with my plans? Patruus scowled. He finally unfurled his brow as complete understanding came to him and he departed the ship.
As Obi wan cleared the dark layer of ash and soot in the planet's atmosphere, he followed his instincts to find Anakin. A crease appeared on his forehead as it often did when he worried about him. Obi wan could already feel Mustafar's heat as he flew towards the mining control center. He immediately could see trouble afoot as he counted four ships stationed at platforms 1, 4, 6, and 7. Decreasing his speed, Obi wan circled over the facility and saw Anakin fighting the Emperor as Padme lay unconscious on the ground. The adrenaline flowed freely through his veins as his concern for his friends elevated. He opened a channel to Padme's cockpit.
"C3po are you there?"
The nervous voice of the metallic droid responded. "Oh! Master Kenobi, it is a pleasure to hear from you sir."
"Padme needs your help! You have to bring her back on the ship."
"But sir! She has given me orders to wait here!"
"She is unconscious, lying at the end of your entrance ramp. She needs your help. Hurry 3po!"
"Oh my! Yes, of course."
"Without me, you will never be able to save her." The Emperor sympathetically shook his head.
"Liar!" Anakin seethed and he walked toward the emperor to commence another strike.
"So be it…Jedi." The emperor spat out the words with disdain. He flipped and landed before Padme's body. "You will pay the price for your lack of vision." He raised his blade high over his head and he prepared to cut through her.
Anakin stopped breathing. For that moment, everything seemed to slow down. Anakin's heart pounded in his ears. He could see the emperor's grin as he was about to truly enjoy destroying the most precious thing Anakin had in the universe. He felt a surge of fear and anxiety and acted on it. He sent a shadowstrike to the emperor, knocking him to the ground.
The emperor slowly stood up. "You insolent fool! I offer you a chance for greatness and instead this is what you choose?" The emperor extended his fingers and released random bluish white bolts of lightening toward the Jedi. The malice in his grin quickly turned to astonishment as Anakin caught the bolts in his hand and collected them into a ball of light. Anakin glared at him before shoving the ball of light back toward the emperor with tremendous speed.
Obi wan quickly jumped out of the ship and ran across the catwalk connecting to Anakin's ship and then onto the catwalk connecting to Padme's ship, where Anakin's was battling the emperor.
3po's golden body reflected Mustafar's perpetual flame as he stiffly and quickly moved down the ramp. He was startled at the sight of Padme's motionless form. "Mistress Padme! Mistress Padme! Are you all right?"
When she didn't respond, 3po stooped down to pick her up. "I am sure you'll be quite all right."
Just then a bolt of lightening struck the droid, blasting him into pieces. The impact of the bolt scattered 3po's parts all over the landing port, and some parts even made it to the lava. By any typical mechanic's diagnosis, 3po was utterly destroyed. A sudden and loud shrieking sound ripped through the air as R2 popped out of his compartment in Anakin's fighter and rolled frantically toward the remnants of 3po.
Obi wan had just made it across the catwalk to Padme's ship when 3po was destroyed. He looked in the direction the bolts came from and saw a tall dark figure slowly walking towards him.
"The great negotiator." Patruus said darkly, "Have you come to find a common ground for me and Anakin?"
"There is none. You have nothing in common with him."
"No." Patruus raised a finger in protest and slightly shook his head with a grin, "There is one thing. We both share the thirst for power, and a hunger for control."
Two began circling each other as they spoke.
"You're wrong." Obi wan sidestepped, as did Patruus.
"We'll see." Patruus grinned, "Your efforts here will prove futile. You and Anakin will both be dead in an hour or two. There is no negotiation about that."
"My skill does not only lie in negotiation." Obi wan ignited his blade and raised it over his head with both hands.
Patruus chuckled, "Good."
The two of them ran toward each other and clashed their lightsaber against each other. Obi wan and Patruus moved at an incredible speed as they attacked and blocked, swung and spun. Obi wan moved gracefully and effortlessly. He kept his sights on his opponent as he moved his blade back and forth. Patruus forced pushed Obi wan attempting to knock him over the side of the platform. Obi wan regained his balance against the railing but was quickly overpowered by Patruus. Patruus placed a hand over Obi wan's throat and started to squeeze. He smiled as Obi wan struggled and placed his red blade dangerously close to his face. Obi wan then kicked Patruus's feet out from underneath him landing him on his back. He brought down his stroke on the Sith lord and was blocked. Patruus turned and kicked Obi wan aside and quickly rose to his feet. Patruus and Obi wan fought their way onto the extension bridge that led back to the control center. Patruus swung his blade and Obi wan ducked.
The emperor had not expected Anakin to redeliver the ball of light with such a high concentration of power and at such a high speed. The ball of light slammed into the emperor with such force that it caused him to drop his lightsaber and knock him over the railing of the landing platform. But it was not over. Anakin slowly walked toward the edge and rested his hands on the railing. He looked down and saw Darth Sidious, Master of the Sith, hanging on to the platform edge by his fingers. Darth Sidious looked up with enraged eyes and snarled, "If I die, she is doomed. Patruus will see to it."
Anakin closed his eyes momentarily as he struggled to swallow his rage and think rationally. He tried to cool his anger. He tried to stifle his hatred. He tried to find peace and his calm. But for all his efforts, they were to no avail. The sound of the emperor chuckling with glee forced his eyes open.
The emperor croaked, "You will never find peace. You will never have happiness. You will never – ever have what you want the most if you do not give in to your passion. Lose yourself in your anger and your hatred. You have proven your strength. Now prove you have conviction." The emperor struggled to find a way to get through to Anakin and push him towards the dark side. The emperor understood that Patruus had obviously deserted him. It had not mattered. He concentrated his efforts on Anakin. If Anakin would turn, then he could get out of the vulnerable position he was in.
Backing up onto the extension bridge, Obi wan moved from side to side avoiding Patruus's quick strokes. Patruus gritted his teeth as he missed Obi wan and cut through the railing on the bridge. Obi wan ducked a blow and passed under Patruus's arm. Once on the other side, he jumped up and kicked Patruus tossing him further away on the bridge. Lying on his back in the middle of the bridge, Patruus looked to his left and saw the emperor dangling over the side of the platform. He smirked.
Anakin felt himself teetering on the edge of dark side. He wanted so much to give in. He wanted so much to revel in it. He looked at the emperor with contempt. He glanced over his shoulder at Padme's body and looked back toward the dangling emperor. And suddenly at the moment, Anakin gave in and it felt so good. The years of self-restraint melted away as if it never existed. He immersed himself in his hatred of the emperor and Patruus. Once again he was set free. He was free from the burden of having to be pure of heart, having to deprive himself of satisfaction and being selfless. His eyes turned yellow rimmed with red and a smirk slowly made its way across his handsome face.
"Yes." The emperor smiled in satisfaction. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to feel the anger radiating from Anakin. "The force is strong with you, young Skywalker. Embrace the darkside. Realize destiny lies with along the Sith. You know what it is you must do now."
Anakin slowly nodded his head. For a moment longer he gazed down at the Sith Master. His mouth twisted with his fierce hatred. His eyes narrowed and suddenly the emperor's eyes instantly bulged and his mouth gaped as if struggling for breath. Sidious gagged and gasped for air. Realizing Anakin didn't intend to become his apprentice, Sidious attempted to stop Anakin with another blast of force lightening. The bolts merely bounced off him and shot off into another direction. It was a futile effort. Anakin had placed a force bubble around himself. He increased his force grip around the emperor's throat.
The diverted bolts of lightening impacted on the extension bridge that Obi wan and Patruus were dueling on. The bolts hit midway between them collapsing the center of the bridge. The cables that helped support the controls of the bridge snapped and as portions of it all fell in to the lava. Patruus's side of the bridge remained broken, while Obi wan's side began to crumble. Obi wan turned and ran back across as fast as he could before the bridge fell from beneath him. Patruus grunted with disgust. It would take too much time to retreat and take another bridge to make his way around. He decided to make the jump. Patruus stood up and backed up a few paces to give himself running start. He took off moving quickly along the shortened bridge and jumped. Realizing that he would not make it, Obi wan jumped and flipped into the air landing safely on the platform supporting the Nubian cruiser. Once there, Obi wan turned quickly and force pushed Patruus causing him to miss his landing. The Sith lord tumbled angrily yelling as he fell toward the river of lava below. Panting, Obi wan carefully walked over to the side. He looked down and did not see any sign of Patruus.
Obi wan let out a huge sigh and looked toward Padme. R2 was still rolling around pulling together all the left over parts of c3po and whimpered at the forlorn attempt he made at repairing him.
The emperor realized he was slowly losing his grip on the edge of the platform. All he thoughts surrounded his deep desire now to bring Anakin down with him. He curled his lips as he continued struggling. Unable to hold on any longer, the emperor tumbled helplessly toward the lava below. Sisious's eyes never left Anakin's face as he plummeted to his doom. Anakin released his force choke and force pushed the emperor to quicken his descent into the firey chasm. Anakin watched hungrily to see the flames leap up from the lava surface and completely devour Darth Sidious.
Anakin gasped as if suddenly ripped away from another reality. His eyes returned to their natural sapphire. Panting, Anakin turned from the railing and looked in Padme's direction. He didn't understand what was happening to him. He couldn't understand why he gave into it so quickly, so easily. He grimaced in his guilt, disgusted with himself. He swallowed as he tried hard to reason with himself for his actions. Anakin turned around, bringing his attention back to Padme.
Padme was now starting to awaken. Her breathing was becoming shallower with every breath. Beads of sweat collect upon her forehead and she began to move her head from side to side. Anakin ran over to her and called her name, "Padme?"
She only responded with a groan. Anakin tried again and passed a hand over her hair, "Padme, open your eyes. Come on Angel look at me. Let me see your beautiful brown eyes." Padme moaned and moved her head again. Anakin was so lost in reviving Padme that he failed to notice Obi wan approaching.
Obi wan knelt down on one knee "How is she?"
Anakin spoke without daring to look away from her, "I – I don't know." He furled his eyebrows, "She seems like she's alright, but I sense something more going on. I just can't tell what it is."
Obi wan leaned over and took Padme's hand, "Padme can you hear me?"
Padme didn't respond. Anakin sighed and asked firmly, "Where is he?"
Obi wan, understanding whom his former padawan was speaking of, answered, "He fell over the side, when the bridge collapsed."
Anakin remained silent. "I can still sense his presence."
"Of course you can dear brother." A cool voice came from behind them. "You can't get rid of me that easily." Patruus walked towards them fuming with rage. His eyes were fixed on his brother and Padme. "Step away from her. You will not take her from here. I have yet one more task to complete before this is all over." His menacing eyes were fixed on the two Jedi.