A/N: Hello there! I am late, of course. I have just adjusted to my new college, so I apologise. I hope to now finish the entire story soon. This is nearing a crucial section. I have decided to brave some courage and just do it, even though it is a difficult and high-stakes matter. It may not be perfect; in fact, I don't know if it is, but I must still do it.

The three members - two Sith, one half-Sith and one Jedi - former Jedi circled each other. Cere Junda's face showed deep intensity and fierceness. Sidious seemed cool but relaxed. Anakin, however, was guarded and reserved. He wasn't worried about any threat to Sidious or to himself. He, in fact, was worried for this knight. He did not know Cere Junda very well. But he certainly knew of her. And here, she did not seem very much like a Jedi. She seemed to have sustained some loss. He could certainly relate to that.

"Well, my dear Cere. Start first."

Cere didn't hesitate. She swirled the lightsaber in a few circles. Anakin looked at her and then Sidious. I don't want to kill her, but if I don't stick by Sidious, I lose my only chance to save Padme.

So much for fair play: Sidious immediately arced his arms and blue lightning sprayed from his fingertips. Cere was pushed back to the floor and she howled in pain. Sidious smiled. "Well, this was too easy. But now let's have a true fight. Lord Vader, go gentle with her."

Anakin looked cold and blank. I might as well go gentle. Perhaps she may forfeit. Sidious will probably still kill her, but it's worth the try.

Anakin stood straight and watched as Junda lifted herself up. She was clearly disoriented by the lightning. Yet, resolve still existed within her. She got up and pointed her lightsaber at Anakin. She walked slowly, but then ran into a charge and her blade met that of Anakin. He still wields a blue lightsaber! The treacherous Skywalker. I will kill both him and the emperor.

Anakin pushed her back and made a light flick towards her ankles. It was not light enough, however, and Cere's pants were burned through.

No, she thought. This time I will be disciplined. I will be meticulous. I will channelise this new found energy, but I will use it precisely.

She hit Anakin straight, but of course, Anakin blocked it. Now he had to exert a minutely increased amount of effort. Yet it was no challenge. He had just recently fought with Obi-Wan and had not seemed in any danger of losing. And earlier, he had bested the greatest duelist in the temple, Cin Drallig.

Might be better to give her a clean death.

They were in the middle of the hall, and Cere faced Anakin, while Sidious stood slightly right of him. Anakin thought for a moment and then decided. He thrust his energy and made a large slash at her from above. But she blocked that. Almost immediately he swiped his lightsabre from left to right. Cere jumped above the blade but fell onto the ground on her back. This would be the chance, Anakin thought. Cere got up and rushed onto Anakin but he kept fighting on Djem So, with different thrusts of his lightsaber. Cere clearly tried her best but she was pushed back and back until she reached the edge of the room onto the walls.

Sidious arrived, walking slowly and cackling. Anakin hadn't heard this noise from his erstwhile friend and now master before. Palpatine certainly never cackled in such a way. "You were right, Lord Vader. It was too easy. And I don't believe it was practice either."

He spread out his arms once again and Cere was subject to force lightning once again. She shrieked in agony. Anakin for some reason wasn't comfortable with this. She would now be dead. But, he, too, had killed Jedi so very recently. Jedi he grew up with, younglings he had once known and mentored. Something was different here.

Sidious intensified his lightning at specific points at Cere's stomach and legs. The pain would be unbearable now. Shrieks and screams emerged and reverberated around the world. Dark energy was in the midst, like a cloud all around. Anakin experienced some of this when he had immersed himself in darkness when packing the temple or wiping out the separatist leadership. That continuity was broken, rather unceremoniously the past week; in the company of Ahsoka and Padme; in the debacle on Eriadu. Now, it seemed even stronger. Sidious himself was here.

This is a climax. Another climax.

"But it will be you will kill her, Lord Vader," said Sidious.

I must, of course, thought Anakin. Sidious will kill her anyway.

"Tell me, Master Junda," he addressed Cere, "what exactly brought you here."

Cere was crying but fierce still.

"Ah, I know, you lost your padawan and those younglings in your care. I assure you their deaths were in vain, as will yours too. Although… they may not all die. Perhaps I can find some use for them."

"Use for them!" shrieked Cere. "You will not touch them."

"Oh, I will," said Sidious. "Do not make mistake me. I value life. But only a life for a purpose. The Jedi too only value their lives for their own purposes - how many unwilling Padawans have they sent in war to be slain?

"The Sith value peace. And life towards that end. And the only thing that can ensure peace is power and our pursuit of that power. "

"They're my family! I love them."

"Love is interesting. Again, I value it - I cherish it even. It is a beautiful thing. It is life itself and hence a piece of the force. But to lose oneself in the meaningless sentimentality of love? I think it is foolish. Love is a means to an end, and the end is power. And the end is all that matters."

Anakin's attention was captured.

Love. Yes. My whole life is based on love. My love for my mother. My love for Padme. And now, my love for my child, whether or not she will arrive.

Power. I have felt myself immersed in it - but it was only supposed to be the means to the end of my love. Not the other way around.

Anakin had to be careful if he wished to ask this question. "Powers can be used to save or prevent death? But power is all that matters?"

Sidious was distracted. His mind did not register that it was Anakin who spoke these words.

"Yes." He said.

He unleashed lightning upon Cere again. But then he stopped. He had forgotten he had asked Anakin to kill her.

"We do not need her dead, Master." Anakin said. "There could be some use for her."

Sidious's smile was lost suddenly. Rage was discernible. "I said she would die," he said softly. "Are you questioning me, Lord Vader."

Anakin's psyche had changed. Something today confirmed a series - an evolution of thinking that had transpired within his mind and heart the past week.

I had believed Palpatine to be my only friend. He presented the only solution I had to save the 'certain' death of Padme. And I believed he was the only one who truly cared. He seduced me to the dark side - and I became something I had never been.

But just now - any remnant of a feeling Anakin had that Sidious' desires ever were genuine were dissapitated. And that changed things. Anakin was certain now that Sidious would not assist him in his quest to avoid the premonition.

I cannot stand besides him.

A plan hatched on Anakin's mind. It was very unanticipated. There will be some sacrifice. Is this evil of me? He still cared only of his and nothing else. He moved ahead to Cere. "You are no different from the rest, Skywa…" The sentence was cut as her consciousness was cut too; Anakin pierced his lightsaber onto her very painfully.

This was the distraction Anakin needed.