Chapter 41
...The blue eyes – the eyes of daggers.
No. Not just mere eyes…
He is standing there in front of me, cloaked in his signature robes I have grown accustomed to. His blue lightsaber is like an ocean cutting through the waves of flames.
He is a glowing beacon compared to the darkness I am drowning in; he is at the center of my concentration.
The conviction in his will. I sense it when probing his barriers, trying to tear through his defenses. Soon, I will tear them down like I would have to eventually tear him down.
He opens his mouth, shouting. "I have failed you, Anakin! I have failed you!"
Attempting to seem confident but, effortlessly, I slide past his protections, and see through him. There is no satisfaction within me. Something small within me didn't want it to end this way, but this man turned against me.
Come on, Jedi, show me what you can do!
The single blue blade dances in front of my eyes as I turn it to my opening stance.
"I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over!" The words come out of my lips, my conflicting emotions crashing full force.
"Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!" Lies! Palpatine would help me save her from death!
I respond with a rebuttal, knowing that it would cripple his heart, but that small part of me hopes this would make this easier for both me and him.
If only his soldiers had killed him so I wouldn't be pinned with such a responsibility of killing my father figure for years.
"From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!"
The old man seems resigned.
"Then you are lost!"
The blade points to me, and I jump over the man.
He had made his choice –
Regardless of it, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you would not stop me from my mission to save Padmé from death!
"Anakin."
It is nothing more than a whisper.
A man's voice in the shadows, Skywalker perceives. Soft, gentle.
…Concerned.
…" You cannot…"…
…You shall not stop me!...
"Anakin."
The name is repeated in a muted tone, and for a short moment, Anakin does not recognize it…until common sense, the present moment grab holds of his conscience with an icy, near painful grasp, and mercilessly starts to pull me back.
It is the name that belonged to someone who is nothing more than used by everyone. Like a true pawn.
The sensation of the dull hardness of the duracrete floor travels through his muscles, and he pushes the level surface with his hands, forcing himself to a sitting position. He smells with his nose alone the unwelcoming odors of the cave – the rot, the mold, the putrefaction, and death; discern the dense darkness around him. The fragments of his current existence scatter all around him finds clicking their correct places.
Anakin steadies his head against his hands and feels the slight moistness at his hairline.
Skywalker wants to cling on to the nightmare…no, the memory. Every fiber of his being wants to hold on to the thoughts and emotions in it almost desperately but finds his attempts failing, his fingers losing, sensations fading.
…You…
Even without opening his eyes, the Jedi is a tranquil presence next to him. He senses his slender form kneeling beside him, his warm empathy as he touches my mind.
…will not stop me…
He feels a sensation of pressure on his shoulder. A hand, fingers bent around his shoulder in an attempt to provide comfort, he understands and wanted to shake his head and wince in resentment. He does not need such; the gesture is wasted on him.
And the present is there with the utmost clarity.
"I do not know what you dreamt of, but I can sense your pain and anger, Anakin. And the danger in those thoughts…"
Skywalker shrugs his shoulders in distaste, and the sensation of the calming fingers is gone. The Jedi's presence leaves his side. It is not the worthless gesture of compassion that disgusts him to the core, but way more considerably the moment of weakness he had shown there…allowing himself to drown into a state where Skywalker is a simple target for his Jedi senses. Skywalker doesn't have the luxury of affording these mistakes he inadvertently constantly repeats them time and again like a bantha-brained fool, due to lack of command over his mind.
Bloody Hell!
Dreams grant him freedom with the blunt cost of loss of control. He managed to create a hairline crack to the barrier imprisoning the deepest parts of his mind, which had permitted him another glare through to the core. The mindscape had not been beautiful…but contaminated. In the dream, in the memory, Skywalker had watched the unfolding events through the eyes of a tormented, dark soul…
…Recognizes it as his own; comprehends that it belongs to him…
…Give into the dark side of the Force with ease, and senses its essence within him...
…It is not benevolent but a cold black, enduring void reaching out, smothering all light around it…
He immerses himself in that moment, repeats Obi-Wan Kenobi's words in his head, and devours their tone of them again. The lost memory is no longer a murmur at the edge of his dreams, yet it does not provide him with all the answers he so desperately craved.
"I failed you, Anakin…" Those are Obi-Wan Kenobi's words, thrown at him in immense sadness. It is an acknowledgment…or a confession.
There is more to this sentence, more words, and syllables, something that damned him permanently, yet. He could not do…what? Skywalker asks himself. Why does he feel a sudden wave of anger coming tenfold, directing the man who has been like his older brothers for years? Why does it seem like he hates Obi-Wan Kenobi?
Through the eyes of his previous self, he had been not a friend but a Jedi, an enemy. He had eyed him like a predator's eye its prey, allowing it to flee for cold amusement before the final lethal bite.
He had sensed his uncertainty when he had measured him.
Anakin, you are the enemy, he tells himself once more. No longer feel surprised but clear.
Zero plus One. Basic math. It isn't too hard to come to an evident conclusion.
It seems most logical he had encountered Obi-Wan Kenobi on the planet known as Mustafar, a planet which he has heard of in passing before. They had fought, and regardless of his power, it seemed he had pretty much wiped the floor with his Sithy self. Skywalker had been emotionally compromised enough to be saved, some fuel of hatred that kept him alive and caused him to roam in this empty galaxy, craving the death of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
It most certainly has not been a selfless act, this performance or play, to put it another way. At battle, knowledge is one of the most valuable weapons, so possibly his friend assumed Skywalker held that. Exactly what of that kind? He had absolutely no idea.
It was no coincidence that Vader - why does that name seem so familiar - came into the galaxy that it feels like Skywalker was reborn, with no recollections of his former self. It was no accident he was right here at this very moment, his mind filled with questions and visions that the Force itself wants to see as he walks from a different destiny than his past self did before. The acknowledgment is a dark storm gathering in his mind.
Eventually, some form of retribution is in order, and the dark and manipulative side of him is encouraged.
As a result, I had been weakened and was but a hull of my former self. I did not have knowledge and control over the Force in a manner I appeared to have in the past.
But one has to work with the tools at hand, no matter how primitive they are.
Time travel...
That's it! Anakin Skywalker had time traveled from the future, but who was he?! Did Vader know?! Yes, his heart cries out. He knows more about him than anyone else even though Skywalker cannot put his finger on it just yet!
No matter, Anakin Skywalker was meant to be a pawn. He was a marionette, supposed to be stiffly dancing preprogrammed movements trained with the will of the Jedi Council. Obviously, his apparent incipient awareness of the situation is not a planned course of events. That especially is something Skywalker could exploit so he can discover the truth.
The webs of control of a marionette go both directions, he reminds himself. Careful manipulation and calculated actions can turn a marionette…into a puppeteer. Or is he already a puppeteer? Is Vader going to always keep secrets from him? Regardless of it, he would break from his chains and no one would be able to stop him.
He is done with being someone who seems to be surrounded by shadows. Skywalker would discover the truth if it is the last thing he ever does, Jedi and Sith be damned. Vader be damned, he thinks reluctantly.
He sees the brown-hair Jedi's slender, athletic form at the other end of the service room, and could only wonder what his part in all of this was. He did not think that Vader had disclosed his true identity to him. A pawn like him, forged to serve a different purpose.
Before all of this was coming to an end, likely, Skywalker was heading into a situation where he is forced to classify Vader as a man of suspicion.
But he can't tell anyone else.
Qui-Gon Jinn is with them. He cannot even be certain of Obi-Wan Kenobi. How could he trust anybody besides his mother when the entire galaxy seems to be determined to keep something from him? He always wants to help everybody around him, but it's like everyone is using him as a pawn, using his good intentions for their own gain.
Former Maverick Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn watches Anakin Skywalker stand up and walk quietly to him. Tall, broad-shouldered, and clad in all black, he is an intimidating sight even in the low-light environment of their quarters of the ship. He silently walks past their sleeping companions, gaits fluid, his gaze spending approvingly a half a second longer on his lightsaber. For a man of his size, he was very agile - a result of years of disciplined training.
He had seen his determination back when Vader trained him intently in all lightsaber forms.
Based solely on his demeanor, he would have thought he was a Jedi. Except for he is being told differently by the Force itself. The alarm bells in his head are making him miss something. Anakin Skywalker has changed.
As he sits down next to him, only the slight heaviness in his movement hints that fatigue is starting to consume his muscles.
The man did not have the same opportunity and the skill as he did, to gain strength through meditation and the Force, in the normal way that all Force Users had. Slowly but surely, Skywalker was consuming any reservoirs of energy he had built up during his time on Tatooine almost a decade back, now flourishing outwards. Eventually, the disregard related to the boundaries of his own strength is going to blow up in his face one way or another.
"You are strong but not a droid, Anakin," Qui-Gon whispers. "You require more rest. Luckily for you, I sensed your wavering emotions in the cave. You completely collapsed and I had to lug you back to the shuttle."
"I'm done sleeping for tonight," he replies, voice quiet. "Been through worse. Have I ever told you back on Tatooine how me and my mom once failed our slaver in such a manner that we weren't able to eat?"
There is some lightness in the tone of his silent voice, but something behind his eyes that does not quite reflect it.
"How did it go?" He asks, almost whispering, feeling like a karking idiot for asking such a question.
"It was hell." Skywalker spares a stare over at his mother. "I can tell she was being strong on my behalf."
Understanding, he cannot deny the urge to quip, and the resulting small smile pulling his lips shortly before he forces himself to be serious.
"What do you plan to do, Anakin?" the Jedi asks. "After this battle with the Jedi is over."
It is still one of his main questions, especially now, after witnessing the ultimate uncontrolled chaos the man was capable of a few hours ago. Qui-Gon cannot imagine Anakin Skywalker ever being able to live a normal life. Happy maybe. But normal hell no.
"Assuming there will be such an 'over'…" he responds, regarding him with a sharp but tired look. "What do I plan? Truthfully? I want to marry the woman of my dreams, live a normal life without having to be hunted, perhaps even being allowed to raise children. I want to fix things. I want to fix the galaxy, not just my slavery."
"So, you intend to do selfless things still even after this is all over..."
"…But I do understand that may not be the outcome," the man continues, apparently ignoring him. "I understand that life is not always going to give us what we want even though I wish for the opposite."
Calculated words and Jinn understand what he refers to, but is not interested in threading further on that road.
Anakin grins joylessly.
"This war with the Jedi might even be over if your former Order just learned to calm the kriff down."
"We shall hope it is," Jinn replies quietly, no longer determined in fighting for the former Order that he use to serve.
'And we shall hope you do not destroy yourself along the way,' Jinn thinks but didn't say it out loud. 'Unless you already have. I have seen firsthand what happens to people like you.'
Jinn tends to see extreme personalities out in people, and Skywalker did not appear different in that respect. Based on the man he assumed to have known on Tatooine, this is not the same person. This man in question is inflexible in walking the path of his choosing like a battering ram with so little regard for the price he is paying for his actions that he did not take a second look back.
"You never wanted to leave the Jedi Order," Anakin suddenly speaks after several minutes. "For someone who wants to set the world straight so…strongly, yet doesn't even hesitate to barren the codes of the Jedi Order, I find that surprising."
For a moment, he remains quiet, due to the perceptive words. Anakin is correct.
"My Master often addressed my emotions," Qui-Gon explains. "He understood the danger, saw the importance of attachments, despite being stickler to the Code."
And his Master has been correct. Although he had tried hard, Qui-Gon found it difficult not to sever the attachments. He still is mourning Tahl's death as well as his fallen Padawan.
That is part of the reason why Qui-Gon chose to leave with Obi-Wan, he's ashamed to admit. He wants to be there for his student in his time of conflict. He would not fail him as he did with Xanatos. He didn't want to fail any other Jedi of his legacy and to teach Obi-Wan what he has yet to teach him.
"You have mentioned your Master once before. Where is he now? Is he with the Jedi that is hunting us?"
"He's on world. He had... become a Sith." Qui-Gon admits with great hesitation.
He could never believe that his Master who once was a firm believer of the Jedi Code would have ever trudged down the dark path. Dooku still kept his morals intact despite how he went down a different path and still appears to be the same man he once was when he took Qui-Gon under his wing, but how could he condone such violent actions that the Sith usually are known to take, is a mystery.
Yes, light-siding Sith did happen a few times in ancient times, but the dark flames that radiated off of his Master are something that concerned Qui-Gon Jinn to the end.
Qui-Gon did not want to take the discussion any further, the wounds still too raw on his flesh. Anakin raises a brow at him but does not press further. That is... odd.
Anakin has always been a stubborn man in his experience at the very least, and his knack for not following orders did save their karking asses multiple times. But they had also seen the danger tied to it in combination with his character. That must have been the reason why he had been guided to meet him in the first place.
He had seen the likes of him follow the fate of destruction and death. His Master had been one casualty of such actions, one of so many.
By definition, the term 'problem' refers to a dangerous obstacle along the way that one should be careful of.
The Jedi are facing a serious problem, unable to help their students from falling to the dark side.
Anakin Skywalker could easily become a monster, a man who can snap in any second, a fire that lit from his very soul and rip against the galaxy. If Skywalker has fallen and reached his Force Potential, there would be no way to stop him. That is clean and simple. He is already struggling with the dark side daily.
He is drawn to it as it's a part of him, and it could easily take hold of him.
"I wish to speak to Vader," Anakin says, his voice sounding croaked and colder now. He hates how he is losing trust in his father figure who took him under his wing, but he cannot help questioning a man who seems to be keeping everything from him. "Is he still speaking to the Sith?"
"Yes," Qui-Gon replies, raising his eyebrows, a small frown of uncertainty crossing his expression as he hadn't been too happy about this. "Vader proven himself superior in powers mere hours ago. I have no doubt that he can protect himself should the Sith attacked."
Anakin's lips curls. "I can't understand why Vader wanted to come here of all places. The Sith here could be planning something."
Qui-Gon has to admit being shocked at that only slightly. Usually, Anakin would agree with Vader and all his actions and defend him whenever someone cast his actions into doubt, but now it seems that Anakin is growing weary with his own mentor and father figure.
Before he can question him on it, the ship suddenly shakes, causing his currently sleeping mom to hit her head hard.
"What the hell was that?!" Anakin shouts, his overprotective nature coming full force.
Shmi awakes, her hand going to her forehead at the sensations ringing.
"Mom! Are you okay?!" Anakin shouts.
"Yes," Shmi replies, groaning as she barely manages to stand up, just as the ship trembles again.
"Qui-Gon, get my mom to safety!" Anakin shouts, his blue eyes flashing with absolute protectiveness, as he reaches for his weapon. "I'm going to go find out what the hell that was!"
Anakin storms out with Qui-Gon following behind, holding onto Shmi, only to see a rancor in its dark glory. Claws are retracted and teeth are bared, but Anakin knows all too well to be careful.
"Oh, bloody hell."
A rancor is one of the creatures' natures that has evolved to survive in environments a majority of sentients attempt to avoid for the entire extent of their lives. A true survivor should never be misjudged.
The Sith come out and open fire, their bullets smashing against the angry kriffing thing. What the kark are they thinking?!
Common knowledge: You got to bloody keep your distance from one.
A fully grown rancor has a horrendous range with its long arms and nails. Way more than any man containing a sword of any kind. The most common way to perish when facing a rancor is to eventually find your body clutched between its long fingers and your head between its sharp teeth.
Second: kriffing ditch any blaster weapons!
A rancor's skin is one of the most potent armors designed and provided by nature herself. Layers on top of layers of distinctive cartilage hidden below the thick skin. Unless there's the will of the Force supporting you, blaster bolts are more likely to tickle the rancor than wound it advantageously. Blaster bolts may wound it temporarily, irritating the animal more and increasing its bloodlust.
This is proven when the Rancor simply walks over to the Sith Guards and grips their bodies one by one before devouring them, all the while shrugging off their bolts. Luckily, it is sent backward by a wave of electricity.
"Run, my apprentice! Get her to safety.
Jinn replies instantly. "Be careful, Dooku!"
The Rancor recovers quickly and roars. Qui-Gon grimaces but grabs onto the pregnant woman next to him and starts running off, sparing a look behind him to see that Anakin and Dooku are proceeding carefully.
Dooku manages to land a broad blow to its nonexistent neck area and has to leap quickly back to dodge another sweep from a claw. Again, this allows the younger man to attack and should have refocused his attention. Should have.
But something snaps within its animalistic brain, and it fixes itself to the only cause of pain and irritation in its world it could anymore distinguish. Anakin.
Even without the use of its legs, snarling, it lunges centimeters by pushing its body with its claws. The mouth full of sharp, protruding carnivorous teeth tries to get a taste of his blood with a bite that caught only air as the elderly man ducks backward.
Again, within a mere moment, Anakin is in its reach and has to duck and parry to avoid a claw. The lightsaber hisses and a finger fall from the rancor's claw off before he dashes away again. Someone's blaster rifle fires, and smoke rides from its side. Behind the rancor is a flash of purple, as Anakin attempts to off-track its focus with no success.
Each defensive strike leaves a dark, burnt crack on its arms, but it does not even pause. And now the young man is attempting to gain some safety distance from the massive beast.
Until his back thuds against the ground.
Kriff.
You can compare the experience to being crushed by a speeder at full speed. To the exact moment, where just a fraction of a second to the impact, you realize that soon it will hurt…
…hurt like the seven Corellian Hells.
Instinctively, Anakin manages to tense his muscles just before the rancor's enormous claw collides with his body with tremendous force. Anakin leaps in the air like a youngling's toy, and when his body manages to find the location of the floor again, it hit all air out of his lungs. His grip loosens, and the lightsaber slips out of his hand, he realized, while gasping convulsively for air.
He needs his weapon, or he is dead.
The silvery shape rolls too, too far, way out of arm's reach. And this was all he has time to observe before the massive creature is right on top of him, trying to consume him as a whole. One sharp nail sink into his right shoulder as the mouth with long sharp teeth and no lips seems to cover everything else in my field of vision.
The elderly man again gains his attention, striking at his nose, and causing the beast to pursue him. Dooku is dodging and sidestepping to the right, trying to catch it in some sort of manner, but the beast slaps him back, his lightsaber also falling out of his hand.
You...
Will not...
Stop me...
You kriffing animal!
With effort and teeth exposed, Anakin reaches out his right hand – his only free hand - out toward the lightsaber...and the weapon is in his hand, odd and definitely different than he use to but would suffice. Anakin pushes the cylinder against its lower jaw at the same time as it lunges to bite his head off.
He ignites the lightsaber.
A vertical red pillar emerges inside its mouth. As it instinctively yanks its head back, the plasma blade begins to eat its way towards the sharp-toothed opening. However, it is not the blade that ended its existence. It is a purple lightsaber - his own purple one -, and an accurate collision directly from above that punches its skull and fries up the tiny brain for good.
The rancor screams for one final time and vomits something reminiscent of blood on Anakin before rolling to its side.
This is the first time since the fight begin Anakin can actually get some air into his lungs. He rests there for a while, his brain attempting to examine the extent of damage to his body. Now when the surge of adrenaline is leaving his veins, it does not feel precisely enjoyable but also not lethal.
The elderly man jumps off the rancor and walks to him as he slowly pushes himself to a sitting position, grimacing. The man crouches next to him, and his long sharp fingers soothingly grasp hold of his jaw as he turns his head from one side to another, assessing him.
"You are not critically injured," he observes, his smooth and rich voice making Anakin almost shiver at the cultured tone.
Anakin notices his fingers having gained a red coating when he lets go of his face.
"Ani, please don't die," his mother shouts from dozens of meters away, openly extremely worried, as she runs with Jinn following behind.
"It's mostly the rancor's blood," Skywalker responds tartly, understanding he is pretty much covered in it, but his eyes are mainly fixated on the man that has just ironically saved his life. Most likely, he would need a shower after this, but there is a time for that later. "I am not too concerned about it."
The elderly man extends his hand. "My lightsaber." The way he speaks almost makes Anakin bristle from his current position.
Anakin's eyes are still locked with him as he rises to his feet. Something about this man is extremely familiar, and he doesn't know why he feels sudden anger at the man who just saved his life. Why does it feel like the Force is screaming warnings at him, persuading him to lash out and make quick work of him?
He imagines the same man kneeling before him, both of his hands cut off, his own hands gripping onto the hilts of two lightsabers.
Anakin wants nothing more but to offer an immediate refusal. The crimson blade honestly suits him, and he wants nothing more but to stop whoever stands in his way.
'Count Dooku.'
Anakin knows this man all too well, for it has been him who killed him, and that was one of many contributions that brought an end to the war.
It was him.
All of these faces - these past faces - are only causing his mind to snap every so often.
He would discover the truth!
And no one would get in his way!
Both Vader and Plagueis enter the tree library that consists of the Sith Holocrons as well as the Sith Texts.
"I see that you have been busy," Vader observes, staring around at the ancient knowledge of the Sith. "You have recovered from the loss of your apprentice well despite how you are not as powerful as he would have been within the Republic."
Plagueis chuckles. "It was difficult at first, believe me. I even thought I would have to crowd in the shadows and make about the rise of the Empire in a different manner, however, I have recruited friends so to speak who are listening to my every command."
"You have been corrupting fallen Jedi who have been abandoned by the Order. How do you plan to exploit the Grand Plan? The Republic would only believe that you are behind the war." Vader can care little about Plagueis's Sith Army because he knows it would end as it always would. The Sith are the imbalance of the Force.
"Allow them to," Plagueis says, a delicious chuckle on his lips. "They would be helpless to stop me when I finally lay claim to their precious worlds. That aside, I have been wondering: what was so interesting about Jinn and Kenobi? What made you choose them to corrupt?"
"Oh," Vader replies. "You already presume that I corrupted them. Obi-Wan, more-or-less has a vendetta against the Jedi because they have maimed him to the point where he lost trust in them. Rightfully so, he is bonded to me and I intent not to abuse that."
Plagueis scowls. "You are telling me that you care about your Acolytes genuinely?"
"And you don't?" Vader asks pointedly. "You do recognize that there is a possibility that one of your students can stab you in the back when you least expect it. Countless times before, the Sith tried to rise in place to make a Sith Order, attempted to stop the Jedi Order, only to be weaker as a result. At the end of the day, perhaps the Rule of One would be a preferable outcome for the Sith, because this Order would fall."
Plagueis grins, though there is evident anger behind it. "The Jedi would not stop me neither would my students. Whomever stand in my way would be dealt with accordingly. The Sith of the past failed because the Masters didn't see betrayal coming; I would. I have spies in every corner! No one would be able to stop me!"
"Yes, fuel that fire from within your heart," Vader replies. He can sense that the Muun isn't arrogant enough to fall for a trap by one of his students. "But do remember, there are one. One before who tried to accomplished what you are striving..."
"Revan," Plagueis says, receiving no answer as a response, as they walk down another hallway. "While it is true Revan failed in defeating the Republic, without him the Sith would have been crushed sooner. Without Revan to assume the mantle, and with Malak's failure of a leadership, the Sith destroyed themselves. Malak was a disease, and I won't allow slimes like Malak to enter my ranks."
"Hmmm, Malak was once stable believe it or not. When Revan and Malak discovered the Star Forge, Revan knew of its corrupting nature. The Star Forge was fueled by dark side energy, which can overtake the user and corrupt and consume them with the dark side, something which interested Malak. As a Sith Revan was too arrogant and believed himself unable to stop the Sith. He was so obsessed with his long-term goal that he could not see the ever-growing hatred and anger building up inside Malak. He couldn't sense the deception inside of him too. Remember, control, my friend, that one of your greatest students can turn out to be the foundation of failure."
"Any signs of my Sith showing traitorous behavior shall not be tolerated," Plagueis replies coldly. "That aside, I wish to talk about the Chosen One."
"What do you wish of him?" Vader inquires.
"The power I see. You have allowed it to grow and now he is going to become the most powerful Force User in the galaxy. You know that draining his power could benefit you, however, you refuse not to. I can sense that you care for him as if he is a son, but the bond between you two are deeper."
"The boy and I have direct loyalty to one another. Some may consider him my shadow." Vader replies.
"Then the Jedi Council was correct," Plagueis says. "It was your plan to draw him to your side the entire time."
Vader doesn't move his head. "No, the original plan was to have the Jedi take him in. He chose to change allegiances because they wish to send him and his mother back to Tatooine. I freed him of his Masters influence and gave him a choice."
Plagueis couldn't help a thin smile. "Yet, that is not it. You could have easily made him a Sith."
"The Sith Order attracts the desperate and those who are seeking a place. The dark side offers a chance to exploit the impossible. As long as you have one of your students look to you as if you are a father figure, they would feel a debt to you and would always be tie to you."
Plagueis scowls. "And, pray tell, what makes you believe that?"
"Hope."
Plagueis scoffs.
"You do not believe me," It is not a statement, his voice seeming amused as they leave his lips. "Skywalker has been trained to be obedient. He was trained to be a servant - he is not my slave but he doesn't wish to leave my side because I was the one providing comfort for him. The one thing he truly craves is the approval of those around them. As soon as this was taken away, when he failed to meet the expectations and started to disappoint, his hope could no longer be accomplished. Therefore, he turned to somebody who could give him new hope. I am raising him in an environment where he can become his own Master and shred himself of those chains.
"Then what do you hope for? Why made you fall to the dark before wishing the death of my student and working with Jedi?" Plagueis pushes.
"I hoped to prevent my loved ones from dying. I still do and I believe I am on the best way to accomplish it. The question now is: What do you crave? What is your greatest desire?"
"I am a Sith," Plagueis responds coldly, having always been raised in that belief. "Our desires are first and the galaxy shall crumble around me. I am thankful that you warned me from my traitorous apprentice and I was able to stop him and end his mad quest for power."
"You are now free to do whatever you want. You are evil just as much as Sidious but would be considered the lesser evil. You experimented on plenty of intelligent and self-aware creatures to advance your knowledge in life and the Force. Even if you performed those experiments with complete lack of malice, I would imagine those experiments were not pleasant. Just because one did seek to take over the galaxy, does not mean they are not evil. A powerful amoral scientist can bring plenty of suffering like you have."
"Thanks for the compliment." Plagueis chuckles. "But I managed to keep the Jedi's trace off of me."
"Like you, Darth Plagueis, I see the chance to change the world, to help recreate it as it should be. Your type not the Jedi would be able to stop me as proven with our duel. Imagine that power itself against Master Yoda or the entirely of the Jedi Order."
A cold shiver run down Plagueis's back for the first time in many years. "Your son has been mistreated. It was not fair how he was treated. Your Jedi companion promised him he would be a Jedi and I did what was necessary to fulfill that promise. That does not mean I agree with any of your radical ideas."
"I knew from the beginning that the likelihood of the Jedi rejecting Anakin especially with the bond that forged between him and myself. I saw it as a moment of opportunity. I could have improvised and use him as a chance of opportunity."
"So, you saw Anakin Skywalker being rejected by the Jedi Order as an advantage?" the Sith predicts calmly.
"At the end this was the best outcome. I can ensure you that he would have not stay with them forever. Their habit of leaving behind their involvement only make them little more than puppets dancing to the tune of the senate. A senate that is under the control of men and women who seek power for themselves even without Sidious's involvement."
Vader takes a step closer and Plagueis has to admit it is amusing to notice the height difference between him and Vader.
"I will show you a secret, Plagueis, a secret that no one, not even the man himself know. I will show you the future of Anakin Skywalker."
The moment Vader concludes speaking, Plagueis feels his mind brush against his. Immediately he pulls up his mental shields. He absolutely wouldn't allow anyone to penetrate his mind. He is the Dark Lord of the Sith.
But Vader is relentless, he presses the offensive against his shields with such vengeance that the Sith collapses onto the floor, panting heavily within minutes. Suddenly black smoke starts to rise from the ground, filling up the room and surrounding Vader, caressing him like an old lover. From within the smoke, images come in quick succession.
A young Anakin following after Qui-Gon Jinn's late padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi. The child growing to be a teenager. War – so much war, years and years of it with indistinguishable Clones - the same ones he has ordered to be made - fighting against Battle Droids. His confrontation with Chancellor Palpatine – a Sith Lord! - who seemed to have been successful - and Skywalker's fall to the dark side.
Plagueis can only relish when the army of Clones marched into the Jedi Temple. But the images kept coming and coming. Order 66 – the Jedi being wiped out in less than a single hour. Kenobi fighting against his former student, the terrible mutilation and Skywalker's banishment into a black suit, his breath becoming a death rattle. The terror he taught his enemies as a Sith as he worked to establish the Empire for his Master. The rise of the Rebellion. His hunt for the remaining Jedi. The Death Star and the destruction of Alderaan.
Finally, the smoke fades, and with it the images stop coming.
Plagueis could do nothing but lie motionless. The sweat going down his forehead is something he never imagined. How can one man push him onto the floor in such a manner and assault him with visions, making all that he learned useless?
"Skywalker-... he will take your name," he finally manages to speak, his two orbs staring up with no small amount of joy. He has to respect what his former Apprentice created. "He will become just like you – no, even better."
"No," Vader declares, "he will not become like me. He will become me. What I showed you wasn't merely a vision of a possible future as the Jedi and Sith would have believed. All of this has already happened. I am Darth Vader. At one point in the past though, I was also Anakin Skywalker believe it or not."
Plagueis didn't believe it but the Force ringing with truth causes his eyes to widen. "What happened?"
"I killed the Emperor. I killed him but it cost me my own life. I fulfilled the ancient prophecy; I brought balance to the force... by bringing an end to both the Sith and the Jedi Order. In the end, the Force granted me freedom and send me back many decades in time so I may forge my own destiny. Young Anakin is not my son. He is my younger self."
For a moment Plagueis just stares. It sounds like Vader was an absolute madman. And wasn't the proof right here, in front of his eyes? Plagueis had Force visions before, he could tell a fake from a real one. Is that why Vader kept his hood up? So Young Skywalker wouldn't have to concern himself with his outwards appearance when he's that age?
"What are you planning?" he finally takes the chance to ask.
"The Republic has to die. They are surrounded by hubris and I do not intend for them to stay in my way once more. Kenobi and Skywalker wouldn't become enemies again."
"What about the Jedi?" Plagueis wants to know. "You hate them, I saw it! You spend over a decade hunting them down."
"I distaste them and disapprove of their methods but I do not hate them. Maybe they will have to be wiped out. Maybe they will recognize their mistakes in due time and see it wise in changing their ways. In all honesty, I do not care about them any longer. I wish to start a New Order."
"You want to build your own Empire," Plagueis counters, not believing it, "to overthrow the Republic!"
"That is not my intention at all. Yes, I do love my power but I dislike ruling. It has never been appealing to me."
"You wish for something. Perhaps you want to see Kenobi suffering in ultimate damnation or the Jedi Order because of how they failed you."
"If I wanted to do that, don't you think the Force would've simply saved my life and allowed me to continue after I killed your Apprentice? No... I know that in the Empire, the Middle and Inner Rim worlds have suffered most from the tyranny. Since my arrival, the Outer Rim worlds however have experienced many good things, new schools, medical facilities and other things, that it could become stronger than the Republic. The Republic is exploiting the great trading companies. Like in my timeline, it is arranged that way by individuals to drive them to war but they only act for their own greed as well, not just Sidious. Both sides in this upcoming war are corrupt in every way. I want to make sure their dirty money reaches those that actually require it. I want to get rid of slavery and the criminal rule among many other things. I am willing and quite capable of fighting for this reason."
Plagueis shakes his head. "You have no way of ensuring the people working for you aren't corrupt as well."
"Yes," he agrees, "I can lead an army in a war but I freely admit I have little experience leading a federation in peace. I need people like you to work out the details. I need you to do the planning and to bring the people together. I am offering you to teach your army while also I am the ultimate puppeteer in the background, ensuring that my children are born. I know that power means lots to you. But if you do join me, you would be in a position to make demands, to influence the upcoming war, and to ensure the planets are treated justly, even if you answer directly to me."
Plagueis didn't like the thought of giving power to another - he really didn't but he found he actually considered the offer. It was true that he sees this as a way for the Sith to gain power in their way, but the thought of Plagueis regaining his youth and also going into open combat with little to no consequence while ensuring his Sith Army rise without challenge.
"Yet you entrust this knowledge with me? Surely you know that time travel can leave changes to the point where you yourself can be erased from this very timeline." The Muun says.
"Yet, here I am. You and the Jedi Order would always have an opposition in the form of me. I would not be beaten." Vader replies. "You have something you wish to tell me."
"Yes, I have corrupted the brother of Darth Maul," Plagueis responds, grinning. "He's an animal but he serves me. However, he attains the knowledge that Kenobi killed his brother."
Vader scowls. "Your pet should not choose to attacked my-my father figure in the other timeline. Kenobi made short work of his brother and would do the same now that his power has only intensified."
Plagueis scoffs. "Speaking of which, Skywalker, why out of all the Jedi you chosen the one who defeated the Sith for the first time in many years? Are you proving a point, that even the Jedi's brightest could be brought down to our level? Or perhaps you want revenge because he was the man who had forced you in such a condition for two decades before you destroyed Sidious."
Vader scowls. "You misunderstand me. I do not seek to bring him down to our level; I see to make him see through the flaws of the Jedi so he wouldn't be yet another unfortunate victim of the Jedi's hypocrisy. Should the Order fall, I rather see Jedi who could see through their flaws to join my cause."
"I suppose that you wouldn't oppose to see your disciples in combat. I am eager to test the students of my own, namely against your younger self and Kenobi."
Vader has to admit he wishes to see how much Anakin and Obi-Wan improved themselves. Both of them are powerful, even more than he and his Obi-Wan has been, and now resisting to see them into combat would be a foolish move on his part.
"Tomorrow at dawn."
Plagueis smirks. "Very well."
Arthur's note: I'm going to start a little rant to let people know. I don't care if this is ignored.
Before I begin this rant, if you don't fucking like that, I follow Legends more than Canon, then don't read. I love authors like Courtesy Trefflin who is heavily a recommended author that follows Canon mostly. I disagree with many of their views on Legends but we are very close friends. Go check them out.
But now I'm going to voice what's been on my mind. The Sequel Trilogy is so bad it's not even properly bad. It's just painfully mediocre to what came before, with most of the magic sucked out of it. After watching the trilogy (and I highly doubt I'll ever do that again), I went home and immediately watched the Prequels and Original Trilogy as well as begin reading good Legends novels. I just felt like I had to. It reminds me of what this story really is.
This is why 'Star Wars' will never die- because the Prequels and Originals is so good that even a Sequel Trilogy will rake in millions and attract affection. And, the way I see it, this is why fan-fiction will never die, either. Cause people want these characters to live, and to tell new stories, unlike Disney does.
Disney is full of fucking wasted opportunities. I love some things and certain scenes in the trilogy as well as the music but everything else was terrible. Rey had no flaws and was too perfect. Kylo Ren could have been a way better character. Han should have been a better father. Luke could have had a better reason to be isolated on the island like maybe trying to find a way to save Kylo Ren. And don't get me started on Finn. I liked Finn's arc in the Force Awakens as well as Rey and Kylo Ren. I even liked the twist in the Stormtroopers being humanized. But the rest? The fuckin' social-justicy female empowerment theme? Forced, unnecessary, and stupid. The way I see it, Hollywood is saturated with feminism. I've nothing against women. What I am against, is twisting beloved classics to push your questionable agenda. For example, Finn could have been so much more instead of Rey's funny sidekick when he could have been a far deeper character, like what the fuck?!
To sum it up. Star Wars in general is like meat. Even if it's bad, it's still pretty good. The Sequels and in essence Canon are like a slice of excellent meat that someone put in the fridge for five days... and then took out, reheated, and threw some extra slices of meat and spices on it, thinking he'd make it better that way. Oh, and one more thing- the cheese and spices on the reheated meat are just terrible. Legends is like meat that sometimes could be good and sometimes be bad. Sometimes, the meat is cooked decently or good and other times the meat is overdone and is just stained.
To sum this up, I will AND always would follow Legends while adding my own twists to them and adding a bit of Canon like The Clone Wars and Rebels. Even a show like Kenobi was underwhelming and could have been better if it focused on Vader and Obi-Wan instead of Reva, but that is actually top-tier compared to what Disney has given us since Rebels and the Force Awakens. Yes, Legends had it flaws (why the fuck did Palpatine return even in this universe?!) But at least it has good stories in all forms like the Approaching Storm, Darth Plagueis, The Clone Wars 2003, Kotor, and Tatooine Ghost. Legends like Timothy Zahn saved Star Wars for three decades but it's just sad that people wouldn't ever give recognition to those people. I don't mind when people say they like Canon more (and that's good you like something I couldn't), but please Canon writers, tell me how much you would like it if someone tells you 'Follow Legends because it's better every fucking chapter you write a story.
Now I would write references of concepts I find executed quite decently but that doesn't mean I like the whole thing. If anyone sends me such reviews, I would ignore you and add more Legends factors. I don't care if people leave. I write this story and all others for entertainment.
That's all I have to say.
May the Force be with you all always.