Chapter 7
All of the Jedi in the ship shivered as they felt the cold senses of Sidious sweep over them. The twins began to wail again, and Padme rushed to quiet them. Anakin said, "He's found us now. I know the Emperor, he won't come himself, he believes he is too important. He will send somebody after us, most likely another Sith." Yoda said, "One Sith, there is now. Only Sidious, there is. No apprentice, he has." Obi Wan nodded in agreement and said, "He is the only one left Anakin, it was only you and he." Obi Wan smiled and continued, "And you've come back to us! So he is now alone." Anakin thought this over. He didn't want to spoil the others' moods so he kept his thought to himself. They did not know the Dark Lord of the Sith like he did. Sidious would find a way to track them down, and he would do it quickly. Padme, still incredulous over Anakin's return said, "Anakin, I've been meaning to ask you, what was it like being in that suit? I mean, could you really see? How did you eat?" Anakin punched the autopilot and swiveled around to look at his wife. He said seriously, "I don't think you want to know Padme. It was just that horrible." Padme because stern, drawing on her past as a Senator. She said, "Anakin, you know telling me the truth won't affect me at all. Just come out with it." Anakin sighed; he knew she would never give it up. He said, "It was like being in a very dark room. I saw only through theses little screens that were tinted red. Everything was red…the color of anger. But red is also the color of love…and that's what kept me hanging on. It kept me from completely drowning in the dark side."
Now everybody in the small hull of the ship was listening intently to Anakin's tale. He continued, "How I ate? Well I didn't eat really. I hadn't been in the suit for more than a few hours before Palpatine gave me the news that you were still alive." He gestured to Padme as he said this. She said, "How did he know though? The whole galaxy believes I'm dead! Somebody must've informed him!" Anakin raised a hand to calm her down. Obi Wan cut across him and said, "Padme you don't truly understand the force. At least I don't think you do. Palpatine sensed you were alive. Every being has a force signature, and therefore, a place in life. When one dies, this fades away, unless you can preserve yourself as Qui Gon did. Yours did not fade, Palpatine noticed, so he concluded you must be alive." Padme nodded, but she still looked slightly nonplussed. Anakin heard the computer beep to signal their nearing to their destination. He swiveled back to face the console and disengaged the autopilot. He said loudly in a joking voice, "Ladies and Gentlemen…and Yoda (Obi Wan snorted at this) welcome to the forest planet of Endor! Here we have cute cuddly natives called Ewoks and plenty of trees and mud to satisfy all of your dirt concerned needs!" Obi Wan started to laugh and Bail along with him. Padme grinned and Yoda just looked serene. The twins giggled happily. Despite just betraying the Dark Lord of the Sith, he felt happy at last.
Palpatine followed Anakin's force signature for awhile but then lost focus. He would need most of his energy to summon back Darth Maul. Reaching into the everlasting force, he felt momentarily sickened as light swept over him. He pushed the light side away and reached into the dark side of the force. The deep blackness engulfed him and Sidious felt right at home. He silently moved among the dead Sith and saw many familiar faces. With mild surprise he saw Darth Tyranus and Darth Maul having a conversation. When he approached them their shadowy figures began do glow a bright red. They looked at him with surprise and Tyranus said, "My Master! Are you dead? Please tell me the Jedi scum have not won! Your plan was unbea-." Sidious cut across him sharply and said, "Tyranus you were always a fool. No I'm not dead; I've come here for Darth Maul. There has been a…setback. Vader has returned to the light." Darth Maul growled, "No doubt the work of that meddling green fool Yoda. I would be glad to come back with you Master." Darth Maul bowed to Sidious. Sidious said, "Good, now I have killed an officer so you can use his body…but have caution Maul. For if you die again…there is no returning to life." Darth Maul nodded. Gripping Sidious' arm, they both moved back into the sickening light and then into life itself. Sidious returned to his body and jolted. He looked at the slain officer lying at his feet. The burns from his lightning blast still blazed bright red on his pale face. Suddenly the body rose from the ground and began to glow a pale red. Then, utter darkness poured from its mouth and eyes and engulfed it completely. There was a flash of red and before Sidious stood Darth Maul.
Darth Maul looked at his hands. He said, "It feels good to be able to feel again." Sidious said, "As it should my apprentice. Now…I have a task for you…" Sidious began to communicate silently through the force with Maul. Maul nodded and then felt at his sides. He said, "My lightsaber is gone. Master please, do you have one here?" Sidious looked at his new apprentice. He said, "Lucky that I retrieved your saber staff from that chute. Obi Wan almost destroyed it." Sidious used the force to pull the long silver hilt to Maul and he caught it. Caressing it lovingly Maul said with conviction, "Anakin Skywalker will not survive his next meeting with the Sith. He will be sorry he was ever born of the force. Sidious cackled and said, "Now go my apprentice! And If Skywalker is not dead within three days consider yourself dead as well!"