Author's Notes: I had no sooner finished the previous chapter when Bail spoke up and gave me the first sentence for this one. I actually had hoped to have this posted on May 4th, but there was a nasty accident coming home from work … between the traffic that resulted from that, and needing to make a stop for an office party, I didn't get home until almost seven last night. I get off at five, and live twenty-two miles from work. So … we're heading into the home stretch with this final part of the confrontation with Sidious. The next chapter or two will be clean-up and aftermath, followed by an epilogue. In this particular chapter, Bail and two of his colleagues become aware of something dangerous going on; Anakin finds himself near ground zero; and an unexpected hero chooses how he'll leave this existence. May the Fourth be with you!
Chapter Fifteen
Just One Breath
The first indication that Senator Bail Organa, Viceroy of Alderaan, had that something was going on was a feminine shriek coming from the Chancellor's office, which sounded something like, 'NO! No, you Force-be-damned Jedi, you're ruining everything You always ruin everything!' Padme Amidala du Crion's head came up and her eyes met Bail's as they worked on verbiage for the Sentient Beings Act, legislation that would make clones legal citizens of the Republic. They both looked at Mon Mothma, who listened intently, and said what Bail was sure they all were thinking, "You know, that sounds like the Chancellor's executive assistant. Why can I never remember her name?" It was far more dignified than 'what's her name,' but still not something to take pride in … not being able to remember the name of the Chancellor's assistant.
"I was just thinking the same thing … and I can never remember her name, either. I shouldn't say this, I know … but I couldn't even tell you what she looks like. I just have a mental image of long black hair and fair skin, a fairly young woman … maybe ten years older than I am," Padme answered, setting her padd to one side. Bail felt the first stirrings of unease, as it was something he and Breha often discussed. While he couldn't have called everyone in the Senate building, or the Chancellor's staff, by their names, he could at least remember their face. And more to the point, why was this just now occurring to him?
Bail said slowly, "Nor can I … and that isn't natural, not for any of us." He looked first at Padme, and then at Mon, and then back at Padme, who was married to a former Jedi padawan. He went on, thinking of what Obi-Wan just went through during his captivity, "Padme, I think you should call your husband. This is something he may need to know." Padme stared up at him, obviously wondering if she should take Bail's suggestion. The Viceroy returned the gaze steadily. He understood that Padme was protective of her husband … but this went far beyond Xan's past with the Jedi.
He received unexpected support from Mon, who observed, "I know that the Chancellor has been meeting with the Jedi often over the last few days, especially once he was finally allowed access to Knight Kenobi. However, that was a woman's voice, unless the Chancellor has suddenly developed the ability to make his voice feminine-sounding. She was ranting at the Jedi … that much is obvious, and Jedi certainly do have a knack at putting roadblocks up in the appropriate places. Don't roll your eyes, Padme … I appreciate that you want to protect Xanatos, but I don't think you're doing him any favors in this regard. From what I can tell, he still regards Master Dooku and Knight Kenobi as his family."
From his wife's conversations with Xan, Bail was inclined to agree. Oh, he didn't word it like that, but that was certainly the case, to his way of thinking. Padme bowed her head … but whatever she was about to do, whatever she was about to say was pushed to the wayside by a second feminine voice … definitely yelling, not shrieking, coming from more or less the same place. Padme closed her eyes and murmured, "Oh, now that was definitely Asajj Ventress-Kenobi, sounding extremely angry. Not just put-out, but angry." Mon opened her mouth, no doubt to ask how Padme knew that, but the senator from Telos opened her eyes and sighed, "Trust me, Mon … once you've been on the receiving end of Asajj's temper, it's not something you ever forget. And that? That was definitely Asajj Ventress-Kenobi, using her lungs to their full effect, and probably against the Chancellor's assistant."
That didn't bode well, and Bail murmured, "I'm calling security, and then I think we should investigate." He had a Very Bad Feeling about the entire situation, and he learned the hard way not to ignore those bad feelings. He probably should have called CoreSec at the outset, but wasn't thinking about it at the time … too confused by his inability to remember the assistant's face, much less her name. The two women rose to their feet, and that's when it hit Bail. He looked at Padme again and asked, "Xanatos is already here, isn't he? You only use your comm when you're in the same vicinity, because he doesn't trust them. Is he in the building?"
"Truly, I'm not sure, Bail. I just know that Xan asked me to take my comm with me. I'm not sure if he has Off-world partners nearby, or if he was planning to lobby some of the senators on behalf of his company," Padme answered as the trio left Bail's office. Bail didn't respond at first … he was too busy putting the pieces together. Item … they heard the Chancellor's assistant yelling at a Jedi for ruining 'everything.' Item … they also heard Asajj Ventress-Kenobi yelling. Item … Xanatos was on the planet and in the immediate vicinity, and he had as much use for the Senate and politicians as a whole as his young 'uncle.' Item … none of them could remember what the Chancellor's assistant looked like.
There were still missing pieces, but it was looking more and more like the Chancellor and his assistant (or even just the assistant herself) was involved with the capture and torture of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Still, even if the Chancellor wasn't the mysterious Darth Sidious who had the Jedi so concerned, it didn't bode well if he was involved in this. With that, he quickened his steps, just a little, and then a little more as more noise was coming from the Chancellor's office. From the opposite direction, he saw Xanatos approaching, and his wife's friend said grimly, "You don't want to go in there right now … there are two civilians too many in there as it is, you don't need to be adding to it … not until this is over." Bail looked at Xanatos appraisingly. There was a howl inside, and Bail made his decision.
"Fine. But you must tell us everything … if only so we can help with the clean up," he replied. Xanatos inclined his head and gestured for them to follow him a short distance away. Bail noticed the displeased glare Padme was directing at her husband. Ah … so Xanatos hadn't shared with his wife what he knew. And, judging from the former Jedi's response, it seemed likely that he knew his wife wasn't happy with him … and he didn't look in the least repentant. That was between them, though. He was more worried about what was going on in the Chancellor's office, because whatever was happening in there would change the galaxy forever.
SWSWSWSWSWSW
He wanted to say that he was shocked … and he was. He was shocked by what Order Sixty-six really was … he was shocked that Sidious went to the trouble she did … he was even shocked by her lack of interest in Anakin Skywalker. But one thing that didn't shock him … the steps Obi-Wan took to protect his remaining Jedi brethren. He was a self-sacrificing idiot … but even Mace Windu had to acknowledge the younger Jedi had a point. That didn't make it any easier to cradle the injured Knight and try to help him release the agony into the Force.
Yan knelt at his son's side, one hand over the entry wound and the other stroking Obi-Wan's hair back from his eyes. He said no words, but the grief and fury in his eyes was a terrible thing to behold. Even so, it was far better to look over at his former mentor than it was to watch the melee going on just past Yan as Asajj, Anakin, and Palpatine all took on Sidious. No matter how many times Asajj and Anakin were knocked out of the fight, they returned within seconds, distracting her away from Palpatine, who was drawing her steadily into the center of the room … away from the window. Why?
The curtain moved ever so slightly, and Mace saw a small, black-haired boy peeking around the edge … a small, black-haired boy gripping a blaster tightly in his hands. Boba Fett … who was clinging to his father's back when Jango Fett made his dramatic entrance, and then quickly hid before Darth Sidious could see him and use him against everyone gathered, and who now sought vengeance for his father's death, his face a mask of hatred and grief. They would need to look after that youngling. A light tapping drew Mace's attention away from the five-way battle going on, and he looked up to find Yoda and Kit Fisto joining them. Yoda's ears flattened against his head and he muttered, "Foolish child, you are. Necessary, this was not."
"Only way. Couldn't take … the chance," Obi-Wan rasped out, moaning as he curled around himself. Across from Mace, Yan blinked back tears as he continued to pour strength into his only child. Obi-Wan would need medical attention, and soon, but for now, Yan would buy his son as much time as he could. The young Knight moaned again, before forcing out, "This … made her angry. Make … mistakes." Mace shook his head, torn between a desire to berate the young man and an equally strong desire to laugh, because of course Obi-Wan Kenobi would put a lightsaber through his own body to aggravate a Sith, as well as to protect others. A stray thought crossed Mace's mind … that the Obi-Wan in his little brother's dreams would have done the exact same thing. But there was another part to this, something the boy's former Master pointed out only seconds later.
"And you would have never forgiven yourself, would have never been able to live with yourself, if you'd hurt any of us, even under a compulsion. My poor child … Master, I've never heard of such a thing," Yan murmured. That made two of them … although, they did have sleep compulsions. Mace found himself wondering if the two were tied, since you could use sleep compulsions against a trained Jedi. Their guard had to be down (or willing to accept it), but it was possible. He thought again about the time Obi-Wan spent at the mercy of the machine that showed him that other reality (then again, that was never truly far from his mind).
"Not common, it is. Disturbs me, this does," Yoda responded. He kept looking at the dizzying fight taking place, and Mace knew in a matter of seconds, the Grandmaster would be joining the battle once more. Anakin was once more kicked backward, knocking him out of the fight briefly, and Yoda added, "Take care of him, you must … time to end this, it is." But before the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order could do anything, that curtain moved again … and this time, Mace saw blaster fire. He saw it … Sidious felt it, if her shriek of pain was anything to go by.
"Oooh, that looks like it must have hurt … good! If it hurts even a third as much as you hurt my husband, I hope he does it again!" Asajj spat. Mace knew better than to remind Asajj to be mindful of her anger … besides, right now, she quite likely wouldn't hear him. Sidious bared her teeth at the blonde Jedi and extended her hand, but Asajj raised her lightsaber defensively, catching the Sith lightning and returning it back to its source. Boba, in the meantime, fired again, drawing another screech from the Sith and another threat against the child's life. Asajj's back was to Mace, but he could hear the smile in her voice as she said, "Sith lightning disrupts a Jedi's connection to the Force … and those blaster bolts are disrupting your concentration. Fair is fair, after all."
Mace just rolled his eyes, his eyes drifting to Obi-Wan as he wondered if he should turn the injured Knight over to his father, and join the fight. But then, as he so often did, Anakin Skywalker changed the rules. Contrary to popular belief, Mace didn't really mind when he did it … he just wanted the boy to give him a little more warning when he did so. Not that Anakin ever did, including this time. One moment, he was shaking off the force of the hit (him slamming into the wall after Sidious knocked him flying) … and in the next, he was somersaulting over the combatants, scooping Boba up into his arms, and then vaulting once more over his 'sister,' the Chancellor and Sidious … with Boba firing at Sidious all the way. Mace blinked, wondering how the boy was firing at exactly the right times … was it the Force or was Anakin helping him? And did it matter?
Right now, it did not. Again, Sidious attacked Asajj and the Chancellor with lightning, and … wait, where did the Chancellor go? Mace's breath caught in his throat as his question was answered in the last way he would have expected. The Chancellor came up behind Sidious … wrapped one arm around her neck … and rammed his lightsaber into her back, signing his own death warrant at the same time. But judging from the vicious, victorious grin, he didn't care. Sidious was screaming, and as the Sith lightning encompassed him, the Chancellor screamed as well. But he held on, and Mace remembered what Obi-Wan told them of Sidious' death in the other reality, when Anakin Skywalker overwhelmed Darth Vader to save his son.
"I will … never know … why you … killed Jasleen. But taking … your life … is the next … best thing," the Chancellor gasped. As Kimi's eyes fell shut, Mace felt a surge in the Force. He ducked over Obi-Wan protectively, 'hearing' Yan warn Asajj and Anakin to take shelter. The blonde Jedi grabbed Anakin and Boba, pushing them to the floor. Only seconds later, a massive Force wave swept over the room, blasting out windows and leaving Mace barely conscious. But even through the haze of half-awareness, Mace noticed something very important: the opaqueness of the Force was gone. But he had no time to appreciate it, for he lost consciousness at that point, still ducked over Obi-Wan.
SWSWSWSWSW
That … wasn't something he expected. Anakin noticed Boba Fett hiding behind the curtain opposite his father's cooling body, and while the Chancellor was leading his erstwhile assistant away from the windows, there were still plenty of things that could end up hurting the boy. And the Force was clear that Boba needed to be out of danger. Anakin did a Force leap, somersaulting over Asajj, the Chancellor and the evil hag (what? The kid was right) to reach the young Mandalorian. He scooped Boba into his arms, murmuring, "Watch our backs," and did another Force leap over the battling trio. Boba, not entirely surprising, did just that, firing a blaster that should have been way too large for his small hands. It worked, disrupting Sidious' focus, and allowing Anakin's sister to do what she needed to do.
It did one other thing … it gave the Chancellor the opportunity to slip around his former assistant as she continued to battle Asajj. Anakin saw him moving, far more quietly than he would have expected in those robes … saw him impale his daughter's murderer on his lightsaber, and most of all, he saw the electricity claim both Sith and chancellor. Even before his grandmaster sent a warning to them through the Force, Anakin was looking for a hiding place. He had no idea what would happen when the Sith Master (Mistress?) died, but it was best to be prepared. Besides, it kept him from focusing on the horror of seeing his Master use his own lightsaber on himself.
He couldn't think about that right now, even though his mind kept drifting to that horrifying sight. Even as he and Asajj found the meager shelter available, even as he and his sister covered Boba's much smaller form protectively, even as the shockwave pushed him to the limits of his consciousness, that image of Master Obi-Wan using his own lightsaber against himself was never far from his mind. He wanted to be angry with him, but he couldn't … under the exact same circumstances, he would have done the exact same thing. And then he lost consciousness.
He wasn't unconscious long … the first thing that pushed back the darkness was a voice, and then movement underneath him. Anakin clawed himself back to full consciousness, just as that child demanded, "Get off me , you big bantha! Ugh, get … off!" Boba, Anakin's mind supplied. They were shielding Boba when Sidious died. He tried to make his muscles move, but those were taking longer. He received unexpected help when a slightly larger hand pushed at his shoulder, forcing him on his back, and allowing Boba to scramble to his feet. The boy whispered, sounding stunned and just a bit scared, "Whoa … what happened in here?"
"Darth Sidious … her death unleashed a Force shockwave. We should check on the others. Boba, Anakin is still flopping around … can you check on the Chancellor? As close as he was to the epicenter, he may not have survived that. I'll check on the others," Asajj observed. Anakin heard Boba agree immediately, and then the child scampered over to find the Chancellor, while Asajj moved purposefully to the rest of their family. Not for the first time, Anakin cursed his high midiclorian count … there were times when it was damn inconvenient. Like now.
"Miss Asajj … there's something wrong with the Chancellor," Boba said as Asajj checked on all the members of their line (plus Kit Fisto). Anakin tried to sit up, hearing the way the boy's voice quavered … and recognized it. That was terrifyingly similar to the way he sounded too many times after Obi-Wan was hurt. And for the first time, Anakin realized just how young Boba was. It was easy to forget, given the boy's almost effortless bravado … but for all that, he was still a ten year old boy. And not just that, but a ten year old boy who just lost his father. That forced Anakin into motion, even if it was halting, even if it was more crawling on his hands and knees.
Behind him, he heard groans as his family awakened. Anakin dragged himself to Boba's side, awkwardly putting his arm around the boy's trembling frame as he carefully reached down to check the Chancellor's pulse. Oh, and the man's eyes were open … and now that he was closer, Anakin could see that blood was dribbling from the corner of his mouth. Oh, this didn't look good at all. Somewhat better than Sidious (who in death actually looked like the hag Boba described her as). The Chancellor's eyes focused on him and he asked weakly, "Is she … dead?"
"If you mean Sidious, yes, she is … very dead. Lie still, so you don't join her," Anakin retorted. There was a wheezing laugh, and the young Jedi realized that it was too late for the Chancellor. Whether it was the Sith Lightning or the shockwave from Sidious' death, it was hard to say. But Chancellor Sheev Palpatine was dying. Anakin swallowed hard, and hugged Boba. To his astonishment, the youngster clung to him, burying his face in Anakin's tunic. The Jedi went on, his voice growing ever softer, "Is there anything I can do for you, sir?" He wasn't entirely sure what he could do … he wasn't especially gifted with healing, and while he had a great deal of raw talent and power, he was still fine-tuning his control.
"One thing … help me … to your … Master," Palpatine wheezed. Uhm, two things wrong with that. Number one, Anakin's own legs still couldn't hold just his own weight, much less his weight and the Chancellor's. And number two, in case Palpatine missed it, he was dying! The older man's hand clawed at Anakin's as he hissed, "I am dying … there is nothing … that can stop … that now. But … I can … choose how … I will die. I choose … to die … saving another. Like Jasleen … would have."
Oookay … he couldn't argue with that. The question remained, how would he get Palpatine to Master Obi-Wan. Boba? Yeah, right. However, the issue resolved itself with a shadow hovering over them. Anakin looked up to see a still-slightly wobbly Kit Fist standing there … wobbly, but he was on his feet, which was more than Anakin could say for himself. The Nautolan Master said a bit hoarsely, "Let's see what we can do about getting you to Obi-Wan. Even buying him time would be welcomed."
He bent down and scooped up the dying man. Anakin looked at Boba, who whispered, "If you want to lean on me, you can." Anakin found a smile for the boy … and the strength to push himself to his feet. Resting his hand on the youngster's shoulder, Anakin took one halting step after another until he found himself at his master's side once more. Master Obi-Wan was still fighting, taking one pain-filled breath after another, but he kept breathing. Boba knelt beside him as well, resting a small hand on his boot, and muttered, "I am so mad at you, Obi-Wan!"
"Nor … is he … the only one. Lie still … you foolish boy. I have … only so much … time. Need to … do one thing … to make … my Jasleen proud," the Chancellor bit out. The words were few, but there was so much more there. Sheev Palpatine had turned into a man whom his daughter wouldn't have recognized, wouldn't have wanted to claim as her father. And now that he was going to meet her, he wanted to reclaim the part of him that was Jasleen's father. Anakin thought of his other self, in the world that Obi-Wan dreamed of. And then he pushed that away, because there were similarities, but that was it. Similarities.
He heard the Chancellor whisper as his hands hovered over the self-inflicted wound, "My life … for yours. Oh my Jasleen … how I have … missed you." With those words, he … fell into himself. He just simply crumpled, head resting near Obi-Wan's hand. In wonderment, Anakin saw his master's fingers spasm. Was it accident or design that those same fingers lightly brushed the late Chancellor's forehead, as if in benediction? With Master Obi-Wan, you just couldn't take anything for granted.
The Chancellor said more than once in those days leading up to their confrontation with Sidious that he wasn't a good man. He enjoyed the power he wielded, and he was even still a bit proud of how he manipulated Padme into calling for a vote of no-confidence in the previous chancellor, Valorum. But his last act was to save another. It didn't make up for what he did in the past, but Anakin thought it was safe to say that Sheev Palpatine died a better man.
There were worse ways to die, and worse reasons. But for now, it was time to tend to the living, to make sure that they didn't join the ranks of the dead.
TBC
Additional notes: And now comes the aftermath and clean-up. If you're curious, the chapter title comes from the Nickelback song, 'Far Away.' Yes, I do like Nickelback, and no, I'm not even remotely embarrassed to say so. The next chapter will be up in a few days (I hope).