Chapter 18
Unknown to Farra and Ferus, Obi Wan was not dead. He was merely unconscious and had used the Force to appear dead. When he had recovered he flew back to Naboo with a heavy heart. Anakin met him as he landed his ship.
"Are the Separatists dead?" Anakin asked.
"Yes but not by my hand. Two dark side users were there. Ferus/Tyro was there and his apprentice"
"His apprentice?" Anakin asked.
"Yes his apprentice"
"Who is his apprentice? Do we know him?"
"Not him. Her and yes we do. Its Farra"
"Farra? It can't be! Farra would never turn to the dark side" Anakin burst out.
Obi Wan related everything that had happened to him. Anakin was completely shocked.
"She thinks I'm dead?" Anakin echoed.
"Yes. Ferus has lied to her and done something to her mind so she can't sense you through the Force. So naturally she believes him"
"I'm going to find Ferus and when I do I'm going to kill him and rescue Farra. There is still good in her. I know it" Anakin said.
"There is more Anakin. It will pain you to hear it but you must. She loves him Anakin. Her body language betrayed that to me"
"Well naturally she would want another since to her I am dead. A tough choice will be hers but I think I know what her choice will be," Anakin said confidently.
Anakin wondered how he would find Farra, as he could not sense her through the Force since Ferus' manipulation of her mind blocked her from him just as he was blocked from her. Then he knew exactly how to find her. He'd tap into the communications from Palpatine to Ferus and find Farra that way. He took his star fighter to Coruscant and slipped in, leaving it in a disused hanger. He then made his way up through the city to the Senate building renamed Imperial Building and slipped in. He used the Force to prevent being detected and managed to access a holonet console. He quickly used the Force to tap into Palpatine's private channel. And then he waited. After what seemed like an eternity his patience was rewarded. Palpatine contacted Ferus to ask how it had gone on Mustafar.
"The war is over my Master" Ferus said.
"And the last of the Jedi is dead. I killed Obi Wan, Myself," Farra told Palpatine.
'You're wrong, my love' Anakin thought.
Farra was clad in black and had her arms crossed over her chest. Even in black Anakin found himself drawn to her. He examined the place the two dark side users were in and concluded that they were on Rattatak. Leaving Coruscant Anakin flew to Rattatak and landed his star fighter in the hanger at the top of the castle then made his way into the castle. Ferus and Farra were dining when Ferus sensed Anakin's presence. Farra of course did not.
"We have an intruder. Wait here and I will deal with him," Ferus said.
He stood and left, unhooking his lightsaber from his belt. He knew that he had to keep Farra from seeing Anakin for if she saw him she would realize what he had done to her. Her continued belief that Anakin was dead was crucial to keeping her on the dark side.
Anakin and Ferus met several levels above the dining area.
"I know why you're here Skywalker and you might as well know that it won't do you any good. She loves me now and has embraced the dark side"
"I know you have manipulated her but I believe that she will come back to the light side when she sees that I am alive" Anakin said.
"And if she should not be allowed to know that you are alive?"
"I intend that, that should not happen" Anakin said.
Ferus snarled and ignited his lightsaber and charged at Anakin. The two fought, their blades flashing back and forth in a dance of death.
Ferus quickly realized that Anakin was stronger than he but he also sensed that Anakin wasn't as strong as he was when he was with Farra so he attempted to maneuver the fight back up onto the roof of the castle and away from the stairs down. Anakin guessed that Ferus was preventing him from going downstairs. He gathered the Force and kicked Ferus using the Force to shove him at the same time sending him flying towards the stairs down. Ferus landed at the top of the stairs then tumbled down to the next floor. Anakin followed him down determined to press his advantage. The two circled one another and fought up and down the stairs. Finally Anakin managed to get to the next floor and the fight continued on that floor. After what seemed like hours but was probably only ten minutes Anakin had maneuvered his way to the next flight of stairs.
Suddenly Ferus unleashed Force lightning. Anakin blocked it with his lightsaber but he couldn't hold on forever. Finally he leapt up in the air and landed by the stairs to the next level down. He ran down them knowing Ferus would be following and dashed into the next level. By then Farra had heard the sounds of the fight. She had heard the humming of the lightsabers and realized that Ferus was fighting someone who had a lightsaber. She guessed it was someone who had stolen a lightsaber from a dead Jedi and decided to stay where she was, obeying Ferus orders. She knew that if he needed help he'd maneuver the enemy down to where she was so she could join the fight. She continued to eat, blissfully unaware, that Ferus was fighting Anakin Skywalker.
Ferus was becoming alarmed as Anakin was getting closer and closer to Farra. He snarled and began trying to get Anakin to chase him back upstairs. Anakin wasn't having any of that and began striding purposefully to the next flight of stairs down. Ferus frantically dashed after him and leapt over him to stand in front of the stairs.
"Move, Tyro!" Anakin ordered.
"I can't let you go down there," Ferus said.
"Farra is there isn't she" Anakin guessed, "And she thinks I'm dead. If she sees me your little scheme will unravel and I intend to see that it does," Anakin said.
He Force shoved Ferus and sent him tumbling head over heels down the stairs then followed him down.
The fight eventually reached the doorway of the dining room and Anakin kicked it open. Farra jumped up her lightsaber leaping into her hand. She was stunned to see Anakin there then realized that he was the one whom Ferus was fighting.
'Stars, Ani is alive' were her first thoughts.
Her lightsaber dropped to the floor with a clatter and she had to sit down.
'How can Ani be alive? Ferus told me he was dead' she thought wildly.
'Ferus lied to me' Farra realized
"Farra help me" Ferus called out.
'I must help Ani. Ferus can go to blazes' Farra thought.
Farra was on her feet in an instant, her lightsaber ignited, but instead of helping Ferus, as he wanted she turned on him and ran her blade through his chest.
"I loved you. How could you betray me like this" Ferus said, in his dying breath.
"Easily Ferus, Anakin is my true love. I could not and would not kill him," Farra said, as Ferus died.
Then Darth Tyro, Ferus Bowen died. Farra took his lightsaber.
"What shall we do with this?" she asked Anakin, holding Ferus' lightsaber out.
"Keep it. We may need it to prove that Ferus is dead," Anakin said.
"Thank you for coming Ani" Farra said.
"I would do anything for you my love" Anakin said taking Farra in his arms.
He had extinguished his blade and clipped his lightsaber back on his belt. Farra then realized the full implications of Ferus' manipulations.
"Stars Ani I kissed Ferus. I was in love with him and all this time you were still alive. Oh blazes what I have I done"
"Were you in a relationship with Ferus?" Anakin asked Farra.
He had to know the truth.
"Yes Ani. I'm so sorry" Farra said, starting to cry.
"Look at me Farra. I know you love me so I forgive you. You couldn't know that I was still alive. I'd have probably done the same had I been lead to believe you were dead"
"You aren't mad at me, my love?" Farra asked.
"Nope because I know you were manipulated. I love you too much to be mad at you" Anakin said.
Farra looked up into his eyes and found that he was smiling.
"My poor hurting Farra. Let me make it all better" Anakin said.
He kissed her intently. Soon they were exchanging kisses and talking eagerly having sat down and curled up together, Anakin's arms around Farra. He held her close, not wanting to let her go for the time being, relishing the fact that she was now safe.
"Tell me my love, are you a dark Jedi?" Anakin asked, knowing in his heart that she was not.
"If you want to know the truth, I was but now that I know that Ferus manipulated me I will no longer use the knowledge he taught me. I renounce it fully"
'Praise the Force' Anakin thought.
"I don't hold that against you either" Anakin said.
Farra nodded then her knees gave way as she remembered what she had done to Obi Wan.
"Ani, I killed Obi Wan on Mustafar. I believed you were dead and told him he was a liar when he claimed you were still alive then Force choked him" Farra choked out, her tears flowing freely.
"Its ok, my love. Obi Wan is still alive. He used the Force to make it seem like he was dead," Anakin said.
He snuggled against Farra and she could feel his love for her shining through his Force aura.
"How can you still love me knowing I've been with another man" Farra sobbed, "I've done the worst thing a girl could do to a guy? I feel sick knowing I've hurt you like that"
"Listen to me Farra, Ferus manipulated you. I know you couldn't have known I was still alive. I don't hold it against you" Anakin said.
Farra couldn't believe her ears. Anakin then met her lips with his again, kissing her deeply. Farra kissed him back glad to be back in his arms. His kisses were always so much more exciting than Ferus' kisses had ever been. Then Farra realized something.
"Palpatine will probably make me his apprentice when he learns that Ferus is dead. I must break the news to him. If you follow me but stay hidden I can turn on him and with your assistance we can end this once and for all"
"Brilliant idea" Anakin said.
"Did any of the younglings survive the attack on the temple?" Farra asked.
"Yes I saved most of them," Anakin said.
'The younglings are safe! But what of the other Jedi?' Farra thought.
Farra was pleased to hear this. Anakin then told her that some of the Jedi had survived Order 66.
'Better and better news. The Order should survive' Farra thought.
"We can rebuild the Order," Farra said.
Anakin and Farra left Rattatak, Farra using Ferus' star fighter and they flew to Coruscant. There, Farra made her way to the imperial building. She went up to Palpatine's quarters and asked to see him. When she was granted an audience with him she entered his quarters and knelt waiting for him to acknowledge her.
"Rise Farra" Palpatine said, after a few moments.
She rose and looked at her feet.
"Where is Lord Tyro?" Palpatine queried.
"He is dead. A Jedi who had survived the purge got into our castle on Rattatak and attacked Ferus. He killed Ferus" Farra answered.
She was telling the truth, albeit in a roundabout fashion.
"I am sorry to hear that" Palpatine said.
"What is to happen now?" Farra asked.
"Kneel Farra" Palpatine ordered.
Farra knelt and Palpatine declared that she was his new apprentice. However she didn't wait for him to name her but stood igniting her blade.
"I am no longer a dark Jedi. It was Anakin who attacked Ferus and I killed Ferus. I turned on him because I love Anakin. Now I shall kill you," Farra said.
"Young fool. Your pitiful powers are no match for mine" Palpatine sneered.
"You are wrong Palpatine, or should I say Sidious" Anakin's voice rang out, "Together Farra and I will kill you"
Anakin stepped forward his blade ignited and together the two Jedi attacked Palpatine. He was alarmed to discover that the two Jedi were now very powerful.
Working together the two Jedi backed Palpatine into a corner. He attempted to use Force Lightning but Farra deflected it back at him. Then Palpatine begged the two Jedi to spare him, afraid of their powers.
"You had me turned to the dark side and lead to believe Anakin was dead and you want me to spare you? Not likely" Farra said.
"You had most of the Jedi killed. Why should I spare you?" Anakin said.
Palpatine snarled and leapt high in the air over the heads of the two Jedi. His blade flashed and the two Jedi had to parry his blows. The fight carried on and ended up in the senate chamber, where finally the two Jedi overcame Palpatine and plunged their blades into his body. Chancellor Palpatine, Darth Sidious, the last Lord of the Sith died, ending the Sith once and for all. Anakin and Farra extinguished their blades and collapsed exhausted in each other's arms.
"Its over now my love, really over" Anakin said.
Farra nodded and smiled at Anakin.
"The Chosen One has fulfilled the prophecy of bringing balance to the Force and destroying the Sith" Farra said.
"I couldn't have done it without you, my love" Anakin said to Farra.
The two Jedi fell asleep in each other's arms and weren't disturbed until Palpatine's aides Mas Amedda and Sly Moore come searching for Palpatine. They are shocked to find his body and the two Jedi asleep near it. They guess that the two Jedi have killed Palpatine and contact some clone troopers to have the two Jedi arrested. The clones awaken the Jedi but the Jedi fight them off easily reducing them to a pile of smoking corpses. As the two Jedi are refreshed Farra suggests they go to the temple and set about putting it to rights. Anakin says he will contact Obi Wan and have him bring those on Naboo back to the temple.
Chapter 19