'Well, My Apprentice, what little adventure have you been on? Not even bothered to stay in touch?'

They were in the large temporary throne room Sidious had made for himself so as to accommodate any audiences to the Emperor of the galaxy. Presently, however, it was barely furnished and largely save for some construction work.

However, as Anakin stood there next to his master, he also sensed raw power emanate from the room. Things had truly changed.

Sidious' question at Anakin was accompanied by a rather bemused expression on his now deformed features – his face literally exuded evil, Anakin could not deny.

'Master, Padme had arrived on Mustafar. She was not… supportive of me and ran away. I followed her; I knew was needed there, especially now…'

'But, of course, Lord Vader. Your duty is to her. Saving her is our first priority.'

'As Darth Plagueis did.' Said Anakin.

'Yes,' Sidious answered. 'As he did, we will also surely learn the secret. I told you before, no Jedi will ever be able to accomplish this gift. The dark is a…'

'Yes, Master, you told me. A pathway to powers considered to be unnatural.'

Sidious did not look like he was pleased to be interrupted. But he ignored this.

'Unfortunately, My Master wished to discontinue the Sith rule of two… And I was forced to dispose of him.'

Anakin looked at his master for a moment, and then said,

'So, when the times comes, I must kill you.'

'It will be a test of your strength, Lord Vader,' Sidious replied coolly. 'But I do not think we are at that place right now.'

'Your wife is certain to die – in childbirth, unless we use our combined strength to prevent it.'

'Yes…' Anakin said. You may be my only hope. But… None of this is what I wanted – this turn of me. But he thought of Ahsoka, of Obi-Wan, of their words – and their faith in him?

'To put it short, Lord Vader: you need me, and I need you.

'You have done a wonderful job in creating this Empire. I could not be prouder of you.' Sidious smiled. The attempt was obviously a display of the warmth Chancellor Palpatine had often kindly displayed to Anakin, but all Anakin could think of right now, were the broken, ugly, yellow teeth on Sidious's mouth.

'We must continue our work – it is bringing peace to the galaxy…

'As you annihilated our enemies at the temple, you must do so with some remaining Jedi traitors.'

'None shall stand in our way.' Sidious said sternly. And then he began to cackle.

Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen!

'Not everything.' Came a voice.

Anakin and Sidious turned their heads to look at the new presence… Who was it?