"Execute Order 66..."
Nneka was weaving together baskets for a group of fishermen when a one year old baby waddles in, screeching happily. They were holding, or rather, strangling a frog in their tiny, chubby hand. The warm and bright sun illuminates the glowing golden caramel looking skin as the baby bounces towards Nneka, switching from one foot to another. "Mamaaaaaaaa! Mamaaaaaa!" Nneka looks up and smiles, putting her tools and half finished product to the side before opening her arms wide.
"Come here Neji...awwww, there's my princess!" She coos after she catches her daughter, who leaps into her arms once close enough. She stands and lifts up her child slightly, one hand on her chest and the other on her belly. Nneka starts to zoom and twirl around, making ship noises. Neji squeals and giggles, clapping her hands together. "Yayyyyy! Yayyyyyy! Yayyyyyy!" The last few baskets were all forgotten as Nneka continues to play with her beautiful, darling baby.
Suddenly, somebody rushes inside and goes on one knee with their head bowed low to the ground, "My leader! There is terrible news about the Jedi. According to what some of us heard in the outside markets, the Jedi Order is being culled by these evil people called the Siths! Almost every single Jedi known in the galaxy has been killed. Obi-Wan Kenobi is still alive, however, and he sent a secret message to one of our own somehow. Asking for our assistance." Nneka stops what she is doing and settles her daughter on her hip. Her face was stripped of any previous emotion she had before.
"Now, why should I care what happens to them? We are our own sovereign nation that limits as much interference in the outside world as possible. The last time we helped a Jedi, one of our own nearly lost themselves. Unless we are in a case of extreme emergency, we will not help any Jedi or Sith. We will be on our own, surviving as much as we can. Do I make myself clear?" She asks at the end.
The person nods their head, "Yes leader, loud and clear."
"...Good."
--
Mustafar looks like the perfect Hell for Anakin to reside in. He proved the doubters right and got rid of every single Jedi within sight. He's glad that he didn't have to face Obi-Wan, apparently he died on his mission of defeating General Grievous. Though Anakin will admit, a part of him wishes that the Council had more faith in him tagging along and helping Obi-Wan. Maybe things would've been different. Maybe he wouldn't have turned to the dark side.
He wonders how Nneka is doing and their child. They're probably one by now. A part of him wishes that he could just visit them and see how they're doing. Though Nneka might put a challenge to that since she probably hates him now. He can still sense their force signatures, though faint because of distance. He never told Padmé about what happened. How could he? Once he left the village and reunited with Obi-Wan in person and the Council virtually, the duo were sent on another long mission. By the time they came back and Anakin reunites with Padmé, he found out that she was pregnant with their child. Though they have their usual disagreements here and there, things between Anakin and Padmé were much more happier and healthier than ever in their marriage. He could see just how in love with him his wife was. He didn't want to break that happiness and cause Padmé any pain.
Anakin may love his wife, but he cannot deny the love he still has for Nneka. If having a three person marriage is illegal and morally not okay, then Anakin admits that he might be better paired with Nneka. She didn't pity him nor give him any slack in moments he was wrong during the time he open himself up to her about his past. Whenever he was having his little fits, she nip it in the butt right away and doesn't let it become worse. They were open with their love and give equal amounts of it to one another, not one more than the other. He never had to cautious of his surroundings or people that he's with. They had lots of fun with one another and a burning, passionate love that fills his soul with happiness and satisfaction. Their love during those months was like an actual partnership, a marriage, more so than an affair. That's what his marriage to his wife is, though he will always love her as well, an affair.
Too much secrecy, too much rushed fleets of love, they only ever hang out during Padmé's breaks if Anakin isn't busy himself. 'Oh no, I got to stop this and not antagonize Padmé any further. Not all of it is her fault, she does the best that she can in this situation. Besides, just like it takes two to make a baby, it takes two to make a partnership. I have my faults as well. Not only am I fallen from the grace of the Force, now I'm too much in love and obsessed with Nneka. More so than with my own wife. Damn it...! Damn it all to Hell!'
Suddenly the screen next to Anakin starts to beep and he looks down to look, he is soon surprised when he notices out the window that it was Padmé's ship coming through and landing on the ground. 'Oh no...why is she here?! I was going to come back! Ugh! ' He takes off his hood and marches out of the area he was in, he goes outside to greet her. Padmé spots him and runs, letting herself be pulled into his warm embrace. They stay like that for a while until Anakin feels like pulling away. Padmé fumbles with her fingers as she paces back and forth, "I-I heard terrible things. They said that you culled the Jedi and killed...younglings. Obi-Wan..." Anakin immediately glares at her.
"What about him? He's dead and he isn't apart of our marriage, Padmé." He says sharply.
Padmé looks to the side nervously, "Well about that...anyways, let's go back to Naboo together Anakin. Let's do this and live our best lives with our future children. We can escape the war and be happy. We suffered way too much over the years, we deserve space from this chaos and a prosperous life."
Anakin stares at her with a blank express for a few seconds before looking at the ground and shaking his head, chuckling. He soon looks back up at her and places a gentle hand on her cheek, "You're so silly. First of all, I'm doing so much to bring peace to the entire galaxy. So it's not necessary to go to Naboo. Second, don't listen to the whispers, listen to me. Believe me only." Padmé isn't liking what she is seeing and hearing. But nevertheless, she places a hand over her husband's.
"Obi-Wan said those things too and...and he knows of us."
Anakin's whole world froze and he quickly retracts his hand away from Padmé's cheek as if it's some poison or hot lava. He glares fiercely at her, kindness and compassion all erased from his facial features. He then starts creeping around Padmé in circles, like a predator watching her every move. Her every twitch. Her every breath. "Why would you do that? I...I don't believe that you are that dumb," he whispers slowly, "...no...you're not. Something is going on. Padmé...you're betraying me. Aren't you?" Padmé's face twists into shock, disbelief, and fear altogether. "No Anakin, you got it all wrong. Obi-Wan just wants to help us. I just want to help us. To help you, I promise!" She insists urgently.
A husky, velvet voice that only Anakin can hear, whispers in his ear. Their breath tickling the micro hairs of his ears, making them stand upright. "She doesn't love you, Anakin. I told you she is cheating. No one loves you. Not your mother, not the Jedi Order, not Nneka, not Padmé...not even Obi-Wan. You're only a pathetic burden on everyone. Your birth and existence was a mistake that only I can correct. What happened earlier with Palpatine? I thought we agreed to become one and take on the new identity..stop fighting me. Resonate with me. Bond with me. You want love, right? Let me give you that love. Let's become one being and start creating an empire. An empire where we can finally WIN."
An image of a ghost appears that, once again, only Anakin can see. Everything about them is the same as Anakin himself except for their golden colored eyes that are vicious and their cruel mouth twisted and turned into a smirk. This is Anakin, in the potential future, but from the Dark side of the Force's point of view and hope. He wraps his arms around the real Anakin's chest from behind. Snickering the whole time.
"Again, are you sure that this believe...hope in the Light and the Jedi is yours or did the Jedi drill that mindset into you? You have to question many things, my other half. First of all, why are they so interested in taking babies from their families and bring them to their world? Did every parent consent to this, if not, were babies taken by force? Why is age eight and older 'too old' to train to be a Jedi? Are they afraid of being challenged? Children are bright these days, but they can't possibly match up and threaten the high and might Jedi! Or can they? Is that what they're afraid of? If so, then they've broken their own rule, so to speak. Fear. They have fear. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate APPARENTLY leads to the dark side. They want you to practically not be yourself, to not be human. Can you even trust that everyone in that Jedi circus group is actually your ally? The light side and dark side are the same, just one is truthful and one is just full of hypocrites. Along those who are blind and follow along like useless cattle. The dark side will unlock your potential, the light only hides it. Unlock it, resonate with me! They abandoned you! To them, you're as good as GONE and DEAD!" Dark Anakin slithers out intensely.
Padmé grows more worried when she sees Anakin fall to the ground, covering his face. She can she his body violently shake and rumble as each quiet and breathless sob of his ripples out into the world and Force itself. She rushes forward and falls onto her knees in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Anakin, calm down! You're letting your trauma and dark emotions persecute you and torture you! Your mind is slipping away!"
Suddenly, a strong force repel was thrown at Padmé and she is quickly flying backwards with pain in her abdomen and chest. But before her body could hit the ground, Anakin stretches out his hand and catches her in a force chokehold, bringing her slightly closer to him. "YOU SHUT UP, TRAITOR!" Anakin gasps sharply when he feels a familiar force signature. He follows the source with his eyes to the open door of Padmé's ship, where Obi-Wan stands there with arms crossed, alive and well.
'Obi-Wan! Obi-Wan...you-you're alive! '
But the happiness was short lived and anger came back to take back its place with full force. Anakin rips his eyes away from his former master and slowly closes his fingers together even more, as if he were crushing a canteen. "YOU ARE A TRAITOR! YOU CHEATED ON ME!"
Obi-Wan quickly goes down the steps, "Let her go, Anakin!"
Anakin only squeezes more, watching Padmé's eyes start to bulge out and her body thrashing like a suffocating fish as her mouth tries to form wordless pleas.
"Let. Her. Go!"
Anakin huffs and throws her away, letting go of the force chokehold on Padmé, who is now unconscious. Or rather, not breathing at the moment. He crosses his arms across his chest. "Welcome back from the dead for the umpteenth time, master."
"Anakin this is no time for games, what is wrong with you?!" Obi-Wan stresses.
Anakin tilts his head slightly to one side, "Who says I'm playing games? I'm certainly not playing games Obi-Wan. Why would I play games with one of the people that I love the most, who just betrayed me? I know you slept with my wife and twisted her mind to go against me."
Obi-Wan blows a distressed puff of air, "Why would I do that?! You know this Anakin, I follow the code!"
"Oh yeah, you 'follow the code.' You always say that to me for various reasons and situations! But for you and Satine, it's all crickets! Why am I not worthy of your praise and love but she is? Why can't I make you proud of me and gloat about me to your little Jedi council friends? You never do that!" Anakin hisses out, full of jealousy.
Obi-Wan looks at his former padawan with a deadpanned look, raising one eyebrow, "I still don't understand what's your problem, Anakin. What you told me sounds like a typical youngling complaining of not getting their way and just acting up to get attention."
'Bah! Forget it, the old man is turning even more senile by the minute! I'm not going to waste another breath on this!' Anakin glares menacingly and walks back and forth, not breaking eye contact. "You will not take her from me!" Obi Wan scoffs and gestures to the unconscious woman, "You have done it all by yourself!" He points an accusatory finger at the younger male, "You have allowed this Dark Lord to twist your mind until now . . . you have become the very thing you swore to destroy." Anakin scoffs, but drops his gaze away from Obi-Wan's now.
"You all did this to me, you ruined my life. Besides, I can overthrow the Dark Lord; my empire is already great. It will be much greater over time. I have brought peace and prosperity. Isn't that what the Jedi wanted?" He asks sarcastically.
Obi-Wan couldn't believe his ears, "You. Slaughtered. YOUNGLINGS! How is this bringing peace?!"
"Stop this right now Obi-Wan, I love you too much to keep this going, knowing where we will end up." Anakin warned, secretly feeling uneasy.
Obi-Wan rolls his eyes briefly, "Your way of showing love right now is very twisted. I doubt if that is even true."
Anakin's eyes widen for a quick second in disbelief. 'Wow...okay, he's an asshole. Forget warning him, if he wants to fight...bring it on. I already sworn loyalty to someone else anyway. ' But he does end up giving Obi-Wan one last warning when he turns his back to him, feeling Dark Anakin eager to come out. "Don't make me fight you."
Obi-Wan lets out an exasperated sigh, "Anakin, my allegiance is to the republic, to DEMOCRACY!" But he can see that the Anakin he knew is slipping away without pause. There is no way of convincing Anakin to come back now. It's official...
Obi-Wan gives up.
He takes out his lightsaber and ignites it, "Only a sith deals in absolutes. I will..do what I must."
Eyes flashed yellow and a quick smirk graces Anakin's lips before disappearing. He is here and has come out to play.
"You will try!"
Anakin does a high jump and back flip combo as he takes out and ignites his own lightsaber. He aims it sword right at his former master, flying towards him. As blue saber and another blue saber connect, slide, and do their dance. Trying to see who will be victorious at the end.
The rest of happened and afterward is history.
A/n: Next chapter, we are going back to our regular scheduled programming!