"Let him go, Palpatine." Anakin ground out, glaring at the man who currently held his son. He tensed under the grip of the palace guard that held him firmly in place.
"Oh now, now, Master Skywalker." Palpatine chided, "There is no harm done. Young Luke was just sharing with me some of your famous war stories. Tell me, Luke, how does that one end? The Battle over Coruscant?"
"Luke, no. Don't." Anakin plead, frowning.
Luke looked over to his worried father, his smile fading into a look of confusion. Despite Anakin's protests, he turned back to Palpatine and continued.
"Well, Daddy says that he stopped Count Dooku before he could hurt Uncle Obi-Wan. But he had to carry Uncle Obi-Wan through the ship until he finally woke up in time to fight with General Grievous!" Luke half-giggled to himself. He always found that image of his uncle rather funny. Palpatine smiled warmly. "But Grievous got away, and the ship was pretty much destroyed. But Daddy had to get to the ground somehow, so he piloted it all by himself down to the surface. Daddy says it took eight fire speeders to put it out, and that he hit two control towers before the ship came to a stop!"
"My, my, that is something." Palpatine chuckled, smirking at Anakin.
"Uh huh! And that's when Daddy got to come home to see Mommy, and she told him that she was going to have me and Leia. Daddy says it was one of his happiest endings to a story."
"Yes, a happy ending. It always seems to be a happy ending, doesn't it?" Palpatine nodded, thoughtfully, still eyeing Anakin. "However, there are a few parts missing from your Father's story. In fact, I'm sure that's the case with many of your his stories."
"Naturally," Anakin started, frantically, "war stories aren't for children of Luke's age. Most of those stories were... paraphrased, all in order to save the children from unnecessary fears or worries." Palpatine held up a hand, silencing him.
"You know that's not what I'm talking about, Skywalker." he hissed. He looked Luke over. "You hold your father in high regards, don't you?"
"I mean, yeah, I guess." Luke replied, not really understanding the question, "I want to be just like him when I grow up." Luke looked back over to Anakin, surprised to see tears in his father's eyes. Luke moved away from Palpatine and back towards his father. He rested a small hand on his shoulder. Anakin turned from his son's piercing blue eyes.
"You don't want to be anything like me, Luke." he replied, barely above a whisper. Palpatine cracked a grin. Before Luke could question Anakin further, he decided to cut in.
"Have you ever wondered what you and your family are really hiding from?"
"I already know," Luke raised an eyebrow. "We hide from you, because you made the galaxy a bad place. You want to destroy the rest of the Jedi." Palpatine smirked, amused with Luke's answer, yet he was not surprised.
"You may be partially right, young one. I do want to relieve the galaxy of the Jedi traitors. However, you may misunderstand my intentions. So I must ask again, what are you really hiding from?"
There was silence as Luke bit his lip in deep thought.
"Stop it!" Anakin blurted out, "He's just a child! He's not ready, he won't understand!"
"Silence!" a guard remarked, backhanding him. Luke gasped as he was forced away from Anakin's side.
"You hide from him!" Palpatine cried, gesturing to Anakin, who now had blood running down his chin. "You hide from the monster that your father was. The monster that part of Anakin Skywalker still is!"
Luke's eyes widened in fear, slowly turning to look at his father.
"D-dad? What is he talking about?"
"I-I, I had to." Anakin cried, gritting his teeth. "I had no choice."
Palpatine walked up behind Luke, placing a hand on his shoulder again. Not expecting this, Luke jumped, turning to face the old man.
"Why don't you tell him, Skywalker? Of how you were so desperate to save her. Of how you practically begged me to help. Of how you were so willing to kill them all." Palpatine sneered, still looking at Anakin.
"Enough." Anakin scrunched up his face to fight back tears of shame.
"You're a liar! A coward!" Palpatine willed lightning to burst from his fingertips, sending Anakin flying from the guards grip and to the wall, holding him there with the lightning.
"No! Stop it! Don't hurt him! " Luke shouted, breaking from Palpatine's grip. "You're the bad guy in this! You're the one who destroyed the Jedi in the first place! You're the reason I can't train to be one like my Dad!"
Palpatine released Anakin, who fell to the floor, body numb from the electricity. Palpatine turned his gaze back to Luke.
"You're wrong again, young one. I did not destroy the Jedi. I did not lay a finger on them, save for the four that tried to kill me."
Luke swallowed hard, hesitant to ask. "T-then who did?"
Palpatine had managed to calm his rage, placing a steady hand on Luke's shoulder again.
"You're a smart boy, Luke. I think you already know." he remarked smoothly, looking back towards Anakin's crumpled form with a frown.
Luke's eyes widened as he turned to look at Anakin as well. Anakin had managed to roll over and sit up against the wall, groaning. He was avoiding Luke's gaze.
"That's impossible. No, it-it can't be!" Luke cried, pulling away from Palpatine. "You're lying! Tell him, Dad!"
"I-" Anakin choked, watching Luke as he moved closer to him.
"Dad?" Luke raised his eyebrows.
"I'm so sorry, Luke. I'm so, so sorry."
The expression on Luke's face melted from desperation to horror.
"No. No, that's not true. That's- that's impossible!" Luke fell to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes, blurring his vision.
"I'm afraid it is true, young one. All of it: the Purges, Order Sixty-Six, all those Jedi. They're all gone because of your father."
Luke turned back sharply towards Anakin, anger flaring in his eyes.
"But all those stories. All those Jedi stories. They were your friends! Was it all a lie? Were any of those stories true?" Anakin sighed and sniffed, rubbing his face in his shoulder. He hesitated to lift his gaze to Luke.
"Yes, Luke. All of those stories are true, all of them! But the one about why we have to hide, the one about our last days on Coruscant, that one needed to be changed." Anakin plead, his eyes searching for understanding. But this was a six year old. A very hurt, very betrayed six year old. "I was afraid, Luke. I was, I was afraid that you wouldn't understand."
Luke offered no response. Anakin licked his lips, but before he could continue, Palpatine swept Luke aside.
"You know, Luke," Palpatine began, "Contrary to the belief of many, the Jedi way is not the only way. The way of the universe is not so black and white. There are many gray areas. And those gray areas can be used to your advantage, so that you might become more powerful. More powerful, perhaps, than your own father."
Luke shook his head and turned away from Palpatine.
"You want me to join you. You want me to be a Sith. I, I can't. I'm going to be a Jedi." Palpatine smiled at Luke's slight hesitation.
"Once again, young one, you fail to see what is right in front of you. There is a reason that there are no Jedi anymore. Their practices were far beyond their time. They couldn't adapt, so they fell. The Sith, however, understand that the Force around us changes constantly. We grow more powerful with each passing day because of this knowledge."
Palpatine moved again to make Luke face him, watching as he carefully took the dark lord's words into account. Palpatine spared a glance toward Anakin, who only glared in response.
"You could be great, just as your father was. Perhaps even greater." he cooed into Luke's ear.
Luke looked up and opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it and resumed a deep contemplation. Palpatine grew slightly flustered. The child was only six. How much thought would he really have to put into this? But the name of Palpatine's game had always been patience. He could stand to wait a moment longer.
Anakin suddenly interrupted his thoughts, however, by bounding from the floor. He stood before the others, desperation etching his face.
"At what cost?" Anakin cried, "The darkness, Luke, it destroys a part of you. While you might gain power through it, you eventually find that you lose what matters most to you. I almost lost everything because of the dark side. It took a lot to bring me back, but your mother and Obi-Wan- they saved me before it was too late.
"They forgave me, for all I had done. They welcomed me back, and showed me that while the darkness is generous, it will still take everything from you and-" Anakin was again thrown across the room by Sith lightning. This time, however, Palpatine did not relent.
"I've had enough of your meddling, Skywalker." Palpatine hissed as Anakin fell to his knees, gasping in pain. Luke watched in horror as Palpatine pressed his attack.
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Leia Skywalker winced, feeling her father's pain through their bond. She sat back against the wall, watching her mother pace back and forth relentlessly. She could see Obi-Wan on the other side of the small window, his back to her. He had been meditating for what seemed like forever, but Padme informed her it had only really been about three standard clicks. Her ears perked up at the sound of shuffling feet just outside of the cell.
"Mama, she's here," she mumbled as Ahsoka opened the door. Padme turned and smiled at Leia.
"Very good." Ahsoka nodded toward her, stepping into the cell. She looked back to Padme, holding out a blaster. "There's not much time. Palpatine has Luke and Anakin right now, but I'm sure I'll be summoned to take them back to their cells in the next few minutes." She gestured to the door, as she moved to open Obi-Wan's door. She pulled his lightsaber off of her belt and handed it to him, removing his Force-resistant cuffs.
"What does Palpatine want with Luke?" Padme asked, pulling Leia close to her as they began a quick march down the cell block.
"I, I don't know." Ahsoka replied. "Frankly, I've been wondering about that myself." She thought back over her last conversation with Palpatine, remembering her mention of the children's lack of knowledge of their father's past. She shrugged it off. It was not worth the oxygen to tell them, after all Leia still probably didn't know. She preferred to get this over with without getting caught in excess family drama.
"So how will be get off planet? Do you have a ship waiting for us?" Obi-Wan asked, lifting Leia onto his shoulders to help them move faster down the hall. Ahsoka chuckled.
"I- uh, well, not quite sure yet." Ahsoka huffed, "I didn't think to plan that far ahead, seeing all hell will break loose anyway." The group took a sharp turn, and continued through the prison.
"Any suggestions, then?" Obi-Wan cried, Leia bouncing on his shoulders.
"I think I have an idea." Padme spoke up, "Ahsoka, can you get us to a comm station?"
"Yeah!" she replied, looking back to the ex-senator, "There's one coming up."
The four came to a stop outside a large door. Ahsoka turned around.
"This room will be crawling with stormtroopers. Let me handle this." she entered the room, and the sound of yelps and shouts filled the doorway. Obi-Wan, who had set Leia down, cupped his hands around her ears to block the sounds. Ahsoka quickly emerged.
"That should buy us some time."
"Good," Padme nodded, "Thanks." She hurried straight to the large comm station in the center of the room, tapping buttons furiously.
"So what's the plan?" Ahsoka asked from behind.
"Just watch," Padme said, almost excitedly, "Patch me through to Senator Bail Organa."
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The Tantive IV rested just out of the Imperial command's range of detection, along with Captain Ackbar's Home One and an entire squadron of A-Wing fighters provided by Garm Bel Iblis. All had gathered around a holocommunicator, listening as Bail Organa finished the briefing.
"Does everyone understand?" he looked around at the faces of the men and women that were so willing to fight for their galaxy. This is why we have hope, he thought.
"Clear as crystal, sir." a pilot replied, followed by similar remarks.
"Good. I'll warn you now, friends. This will not be an easy assault. But with this alliance, I truly believe we will accomplish something very great today. Get to your battle stations, and may the Force be with you." Many holograms began to disappear as Bail turned away from the communicator. He looked out to space in deep contemplation. This mission was not going to be easy, but he was ready to get his-
"Senator Organa! Senator Organa!" a voice cried from behind him, pulling him out of his thoughts. He whipped around to see a lieutenant with the facial expression of one who might have just seen a ghost.
"Yes?"
"Sir, we have an incoming transmission," the lieutenant's face paled slightly, "from the Imperial Detention Center."
Kriff. Bail straightened and his expression hardened.
"Very well. Call the others and tell them to hold their attack. I'll take the call."
"Yes, sir!" the lieutenant ran off, barking orders at the other soldiers.
Bail marched back over to the holocommunicator, contemplating the blinking red light that kept the transmission on hold. He sighed deeply and pushed the button, ready for whatever he might find. Though he wasn't exactly expecting to find the image of Padme Skywalker looking back at him.
His eyes widened at the sight of the small women, at how weak and in pain she had seemed. He couldn't bring himself to believe that this was the once great Senator Amidala that the Republic had come to love and respect. She looked unhealthily thin, and as though she hadn't slept in days. Despite all this, however, she grinned at seeing him, a look of relief crossing her face.
"Bail!" she cried.
"Padme! What in the name of-!" he began, shocked, but cut off by his old friend.
"Hush. There isn't much time." Padme began, looking away from the communicator momentarily. She quickly turned back to him, "We've escaped but we need help getting off the planet."
"Well, kriff, Padme. Here we are, sitting just meters from Coruscant all ready with an elaborate plan to rescue all of you! I've got half an army waiting for my orders as we speak!" Bail cried, bringing a hand to his forehead.
"Then change the plan. We still need to get Anakin. He's being held at the Imperial Palace, and we're on our way there now. Just send your men there, that way we'll have a better chance of getting out of there in one piece." she explained, her eyes again leaving the communicator. Bail sighed in slight frustration.
"Very well. We'll meet you at the Imperial Palace. I will send Mon Mothma's troops to meet you there so you can have some immediate relief. As soon as we break through the Imperial blockade, we'll be there to help all of you get off world." As the words left Bail's mouth, Padme's face lit up with pure joy.
"Thank you, Bail! Thank you so much!" she cried, "We must be going. We'll see you at the palace."
"Yes, very soon." he nodded, cutting off the transmission. He shook his head, turning back to the soldiers on the bridge. The lieutenant ran up to him again.
"Sir, I have everyone on hold and waiting for your orders."
"Patch them through, Lieutenant." Bail nodded as the images of all the men and women he had just dismissed appeared before him, all with confusion etched upon their faces. He shook his head again, this time a chuckle almost escaped his lips.
"Well, my friends. Change of plans."
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Wow. So I might have lied about that whole "updating really soon" thing... Please forgive me for the long wait. This was definitely one of the hardest chapters I've had to write so far. I was just so worried about the whole Luke and Anakin thing and how I wanted things to be revealed and how I wanted Palpatine to play on that... *sigh*
Enough with the excuses though. I'm pleased with chapter, but I'd also like to know what you think.
I'm getting excited about the upcoming chapters, though. I've already started the next chapter, and the chapter with some major duels is done, it's just a matter of how many chapters between this one and that one are needed to bring it all together.
The good news, however, is that I've only got two more weeks of school (whoop whoop class of 2016!) and I really don't plan on doing much else while waiting for official summer vacation to roll around. I'm not going to say I'm going to update soon, but I will say it definitely won't take me an entire month.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the update!
-renny writes