Revenge of the Sith: The Dark Path

by Random Phantasm

What if Anakin hadn't chopped off Mace Windu's hand? What if he'd come to his senses and acknowledged that the galaxy at large was more important that Padme or himself? How would the story have ended then?

4. Chapter 4

The air-taxi came to a halt at Padme's landing platform. Anakin dropped his cred-disc in the driver's lap and vaulted out of the vehicle. Forcing the transparasteel door open with the Force, he rushed into the living room where Padme sat beside the Sith Lord, trying to comfort what she believed to be a honest and terrified man.

"Padme," Anakin cried, "get away from him!"

But the Dark Lord had already sensed his presence. In a flash, Sidious hand risen, drawn and ignited his lightsaber, and held it at Padme's throat. Anakin stopped in his tracks, hand reaching for his own lightsaber.

"Don't make another move, Jedi," Sidious said.

"Let her go," Anakin replied.

"Your lightsaber, throw it."

Anakin removed his lightsaber from his belt and hurled it over the open balcony. Sidious lifted Padme with the Force and threw her backward across the room, then aimed his lightsaber directly at Anakin's chest. He drew slowly closer to the Jedi.

"Now, young Skywalker," the Dark Lord said, "you will die."

As the Sith Lord lunged forward, a blaster shot suddenly resounded through the apartment. Anakin glanced past the Sith to see Padme firing a hold-out blaster she kept hidden near the door. Sidious whirled, deflecting blaster shots, knocking one back at the blaster in Padme's hand. The weapon was knocked out of her hand and skidded across the floor. Sidious leaped back toward Padme, deactivating his lightsaber as he flew. He landed behind her, wrapped the stump of his left arm around her throat, and pressed his lightsaber emitter into the small of her back.

Anakin scanned the room for any weapon to use against Sidious. He caught Padme's eyes, then she looked toward the galley. She looked back at Anakin, and he nodded minutely. The Jedi focused on a set of knives in the galley, wrapping the Force around them, preparing to move them at incredible velocity.

The Jedi Knight thrust his hand forward, and the knives flew at Sidious's exposed side. At the same moment, Padme let herself drop, the Sith Lord's severed arm could not hold her. Sidious still activated his lightsaber, the blade bursting out through Padme's left shoulder, before turning to stop the knives. Sidious sliced cleanly through all but one of the blades. The last embedded itself in the Sith's left thigh.

Sidious roared in pain and sprinted for the balcony. He leaped over the railing, and disappeared into the sky traffic.