Chapter 9 - The Citadel

DISCLAIMER: We (unfortunately) do not own Star Wars. :P

Author's Note: In which Anakin and Vader go to the Citadel... ;)

To the guest who reviewed: Oh, he does! :D

~ Amina Gila

The Citadel is definitely not a place to which Anakin would ever go if he had a choice. The planet itself feels foreboding in the Force, however that's possible. Well, he doesn't have to be here strictly speaking, he supposes – he doesn't, right? Vader never really gave him many specifics about what exactly their goals are here – but he's not going to leave Vader's side. Lola Sayu is a volcanic planet, and Anakin knows that Vader is decidedly uncomfortable around lava, and after what he endured on Mustafar, how could he not be?

The halls are empty save the battle droid patrols, their footsteps – and Vader's respirator – echoing off the walls as they walk, Anakin at Vader's side the way an apprentice follows his master. But they are far more than master and apprentice. They are two halves of a whole: literally, in many ways. This, this is where Anakin belongs, and he'll never doubt it.

They reach the prison level before long, and Vader stops outside a prison cell, one which contains a vaguely familiar Force signature. Even Piell is in there. "Anakin." Even with the vocoder, Vader's voice somehow sounds serious. It doesn't help that he's suddenly radiating solemnity through their bond. "I want you to kill Piell."

The words don't make sense initially, and all Anakin can do is stare at Vader is disbelief. "What? Why?!" He doesn't mean to sound as hysterical as he does, but it was so unexpected.

"He is carrying valuable information which must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands," Vader explains, and it's obvious that he's speaking about the Jedi and Republic. "I want you to execute him, because it is important for you to learn how to be ruthless when necessary." His tone is level, inflectionless, matter of fact. Yes, Anakin knew that he was agreeing to join the Dark Side, but this is – he doesn't know if he's ready for this.

"You can do it," Vader assures him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You must do it."

Anakin swallows, throat suddenly dry. Killing people, unarmed defenseless prisoners, is against everything which the Jedi teach, but Vader… does have a point, Anakin supposes. Still, killing a Jedi Master who is on the Council, no less, feels… wrong. This isn't optional, he realizes dismally, and it makes him wonder what exactly Sidious forced Vader to do when he first Fell and joined him. He wants to know, deserves to know, but he won't ask, not right now. Later, when the time is right, he will ask, and he knows that Vader will answer when he does. There are no secrets between them.

Vader seems to sense Anakin's silent acceptance and resolve, so he steps forwards, opening the prison cell and striding resolutely inside, respirator echoing ominously. Anakin moves to the elder's side, standing there and staring at the Jedi Master who is in a forcefield. Piell's expression is defiant as he looks at Vader. "I will tell you nothing," he declares fiercely.

"I know," Vader almost sounds amused, "But that is of no concern to me. I already know the coordinates of the Nexus Route." He turns, pointedly looking at Anakin. "Go ahead. Kill him."

Piell's eye narrows, and Anakin feels a pang of guilt spear through him. "Skywalker?"

"Is my apprentice." Vader is definitely gloating now. He nudges Anakin through their bond, and Anakin inhales shakily, unclipping his lightsaber from his belt as he approaches the restrained Jedi Master.

"You don't need to do this," Piell warns.

Anakin opens his mouth, looking down at his hand, at the hilt clenched in his fist. "You're wrong," he replies as steadily as he can, looking up again. "I do." Vader would not lead him astray purposelessly. He understands far more than Anakin himself does.

Anakin ignites the blade through Piell's chest, flinching away a moment later as the Jedi's Force signature disappears abruptly. The hilt falls from his fingers, clanking to the floor as he takes a step backwards, guilt and despair crashing over him. This isn't something he can go back from. He can't undo the cold-blooded murder – because that is exactly what it was – which he just did. He can't – he can't face Obi-Wan with blood on his hands like this.

Vader's hand lands on his shoulder, and he momentarily stiffens before relaxing, leaning into the touch, the one thing which is keeping him from spiraling into a panic. "I am sorry that this was necessary," Vader tells him, the genuine regret he feels echoing through their bond, "But I do not know of any other way to help you embrace the Dark Side in its fullest. It may be hard now, but this will help you achieve a new level of power."

He is speaking from experience, Anakin realizes dully, and he meets the elder man's eyes through his mask. "Tell me," he practically begs, "Tell me later what you had to do."

Despite not moving, Vader somehow manages to still further. "I will." He sounds reluctant but accepting. He calls Anakin's lightsaber to his hand before steering him from the cell and back into the hallway. Anakin doesn't know where Vader is leading him, but he trusts him implicitly, and he's struggling to keep himself together so much so that he can't spare the mental energy to worry about anything else.

"I regret having to ask this of you," Vader says at last, and Anakin couldn't say how much time has passed since he – since he killed Master Piell. He's holding out Anakin's lightsaber to him, a wordless request.

"I can't," Anakin rasps, shaking his head desperately.

Vader reaches out, pressing the hilt into his hands anyways. "You must." He brushes a hair back from Anakin's face. "Let the Dark Side in, Anakin, and it will be alright."

Privately, he doesn't think it can be that easy – except, he realizes with growing horror, it's not that it's easy. It was never about the easy path. It's not that the Dark Side makes it easier as much as it is – will be – fueled by the self-loathing which Anakin now feels. It's like a part of him has finally snapped into place, and he knows why. He knows why, and he hates it, because this is how Vader feels, except far, far worse. The hatred, the anger. Anakin feels it now, directed at himself. Vader is offering him guidance in the only way he knows how, the only way he was ever taught by Sidious.

They are both a mess, and Anakin nearly laughs hysterically at the insight. Still, his fingers close around the hilt as he accepts his lightsaber. Vader nods to him approvingly, not betraying any thoughts of his own, not even if knows what Anakin just realized. Anger flares into the Force, hot and intense, and Anakin nearly gasps as Vader stalks forwards into the prison cell like a predator on the prowl, his former stoicism missing.

His red lightsaber hisses to life as he jerks one of the prisoners inside – Captain Tarkin, if Anakin remembers correctly – to his feet with the Force, slamming him into the wall and leveling the blade at his throat. "Where are the plans for the Death Star, Captain?" spits Vader. Answer me, the Force practically screams with him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tarkin returns defiantly, a glint in his eyes – as well as the flicker of surprise in his Force signature – betraying him.

"Wrong answer," Vader answer coldly, swinging the blade through the captain's right wrist. He's completely unfazed by the man's scream of pain, and Anakin wonders what Tarkin did to incite Vader's wrath in such a manner. "Who has them? Is it your master, the Chancellor?"

Panic flickers in Tarkin's gaze, and he finally nods jerkily as the red blade inches close enough to his neck that he can undoubtedly feel the singeing heat of it. "Yes."

"Is he the only one?" Vader presses, and after another pause, Tarkin nods again.

"There was only one copy," he elaborates.

"Good." The satisfaction in Vader's voice is unmistakable as he stabs Tarkin in the chest, letting his body drop unceremoniously to the floor. He turns, cape swirling around him as he beckons to Anakin. "Kill them all," he orders.

Anakin reaches out drawing the Dark Side in and letting it hungrily lap up his pain and hatred. This time, he does not hesitate to carry out Vader's orders, even if the men here are clones who are certainly undeserving of death.

They return to the command center of the Citadel after Vader orders a platoon of droids to dispose of the bodies in the lava flows. If nothing else, the dead will have a funeral, though it is little consolation to Anakin. He feels nothing though, in this state, except a hatred which twists through him, sinking its poisonous tentacles deep into his soul. He doesn't need a mirror to know that his eyes are as yellow as Vader's right now.

"The Jedi will be sending a rescue team which will arrive far too late," Vader informs him as he stands in front of the window, staring outside, hands clasped behind his back. "We will allow them entry and intercept them when they reach the prison level. Whoever arrives will undoubtedly include… Kenobi."

Anakin stiffens involuntarily at the mention of his former master's name. No, it's too soon. He's not ready to confront Obi-Wan. Not yet, and certainly not now when the Dark Side is wrapped around him so heavily, and he's reeling from his first cold-blooded murders. "What will we do in the meantime?" he questions, knowing how lifeless his voice sounds.

Vader turns, betraying nothing outwardly, but Anakin can keenly, fleetingly sense his remorse and uncertainty. "You should bleed your kyber crystal," he states. "We want to show the Jedi that we are a united front."

Maybe earlier, the thought of inflicting so much pain on his kyber crystal – which is a piece of his soul – would have bothered him, but now? "What do I do?"

"Sit," Vader says, gesturing, so Anakin sits cross-legged on the floor lifting his lightsaber into the air with the Force and taking it apart, withdrawing the brilliant blue crystal inside and letting it fall into his hand. It sings a peaceful song of life and happiness, one which is at complete odds with how Anakin currently feels.

"Take your anger, your hatred and pour it into the crystal," Vader instructs. "Make it hurt."

That is anathema to everything the Jedi believe, but he isn't a Jedi anymore, is he? He follows Vader's instructions to the letter, closing his eyes as he focuses on the kyber in his fist, drawing on the Dark Side and focusing all of his violent dark emotions into the crystal. It screams, and for some reason, that sends a sick, twisted thrill of pleasure through him. He hates himself for enjoying its suffering, something which serves to further fuel the Dark Side.

The crystal fights against him, hurling images into his mind, images of him walking away from Vader and returning to Obi-Wan, to Ahsoka, images of them welcoming him back with open arms, images of them living a small, happy life on Naboo with Padme. Anakin pushes past them because he knows they are false, fake, creations conjured by the Light Side of his innermost desires. There is no reality where he will get that happy life for which he so desperately yearns, especially not now. Obi-Wan will never forgive him for this betrayal. Ahsoka won't either. It kills him, hurts more than anything he thought possible, but he accepts it. He accepted it the moment he decided to join Vader, and it will be hard, but he does not and never will regret it.

When Anakin opens his eyes, the kyber crystal is singing a mournful tune, shining red in his palm. Neither he nor Vader say anything as he installs it back in his lightsaber and ignites it. The red blade feels different in his hands, but it doesn't feel wrong either. It feels like he's finally learned to accept a part of him which he has long shunned. It feels… right. It feels like coming home.

"Well done." Those two words alone convey Vader's pride. It's a recognition and praise more meaningful than anything he's ever gotten from Obi-Wan. That stings, but Anakin lets it go.

"What now?" he wants to know, clipping his lightsaber back to his belt and standing.

"It is time for the next stage of my plan," Vader informs him. "I will contact Sidious via his private holocommunicator. He will come to speak with me in the Works. You will contact Commander Fox and tell him to 'execute Order 65.' That will activate the inhibitor chip in his mind, forcing him to carry out your instructions. He is to take Commander Gree – who should be on Coruscant at this time – along with an entire Star Destroyer and locate Sidious within the Works. Tell them to shoot to kill since he will not yield to them."

All of this is far too much for Anakin to process at once, though he stores away the orders for Fox. "What inhibitor chip?" he demands.

There is a pause. "I believe I forgot to mention it to you," Vader answers, sounding sheepish and maybe a touch guilty. "The clones all have inhibitor chips built into their brains. If they are given one of the orders, they will be forced to carry it out. Order 66 calls for the execution of all Force sensitives, except us. Order 65 calls for the immediate arrest and removal of the Supreme Chancellor; lethal force is permitted if he resists."

In an instant, everything crystalizes in Anakin's mind, and he can see the enormity of Sidious' plans and the extent to which they included and planned for everything. He scrubs his face with his hands, pushing this revelation aside to be dealt with later when he has time to breathe and ponder how everything has unfolded. It's too much for him to deal with right now. "Is there anything else I need to know?" he inquires.

"Once the Jedi here are secured, we are taking the remainder of the Separatist fleet to Coruscant via the Nexus Route," Vader tells him. "We will seize control of the Republic capital with help from the clones, and I will force the Senate to yield and accept me as Emperor."

All Anakin can do is gape. "You want to be Emperor?" So what if he sounds hysterical right now?

"Want? No. But it is necessary if we are to restore peace and order to the galaxy," Vader asserts. "Sidious has woven his web too deep for his death to instantly repair everything. It will take time, and there is no one I trust to do the job except you and I."

"Being an Emperor has always been something I've wanted," Anakin mutters sarcastically, shaking his head. He's exhausted, and a part of him is wondering if he's dreaming right now. This seems so unrealistic, so… far-fetched. Earlier he might have argued with Vader about his plans, but he doesn't have the energy right now. All he knows is that Padme will never ever forgive him for this type of betrayal. He's tried so hard not to think about her, trying to reassure himself that she would understand.

Perhaps she would have seen reason and understood his motives for joining Vader and taking control of the Separatists. But destroying the Republic and forming an Empire? He'll be lucky if she so much as looks at him again. It hurts. It hurts so much. All he's ever wanted was to be enough, was to be able to protect his family. He's long feared not being strong enough to protect them, especially after his mother died, but it's so much worse now that he knows he might lose them forever because of his actions.

Vader needed him though. Vader needed him far more than they did, and even knowing all this, knowing that he could still walk away and help them, thereby ensuring that they would welcome him back and accept him… Anakin knows he could never do it. He could never abandon Vader to eternal loneliness, to suffering and enduring all of this alone.

"I'm sorry, Anakin," Vader whispers in his mind, pulling him into a comforting, reassuring embrace. He wraps him in love and affection, and Anakin yields to it, hugging Vader tightly and burying his face against the elder's shoulder. They stay like that for a moment, Vader shielding him from the reality of the world around them.

Finally, Anakin pulls back and straightens. "I should contact Commander Fox," he states, those words doing more to show Vader where his allegiance lies than a million reassurances ever could. "You call Sidious."

Vader radiates a distinct undertone of unhappiness but acquiesces without a word, motioning for Anakin to come with him. They retreat to a small office where they can be assured that they won't be interrupted. Vader sits at the desk, activating a holocommunicator while Anakin stands right inside the door, entering the frequency into his commlink. Their eyes meet, neither of them looking away until a connection is established.

Sidious answers first.

Anakin feels a chill slither down his spine when he sees the hooded figure. How can that be Palpatine? It doesn't make sense, but at the same time, it does. He hasn't yet had a chance to take the time to figure out how he feels about that betrayal, not that it even matters, he supposes. His feelings have never really mattered before, and they won't start mattering now, except to Vader.

"Lord Vader," intones the Sith Master, something mocking in his voice. Anakin can almost feel the way Vader stiffens, struggling to hide his panic and fear beneath impenetrable shields. "I had wondered if you would contact me once I realized that you were aware of my identity."

As Anakin gives Fox his orders in a quiet, clipped tone, he keeps one eye – and ear – on the conversation. Sidious is not to be underestimated, and Anakin is well-aware that his battle of wits with Vader will hopefully keep him distracted long enough for the clones to take him by surprise. Honestly, he doesn't think they'll succeed, though he hopes they do. It's a clever move, because, no doubt, Sidious is expecting a face-to-face meeting. Taking his army and turning them against him is simply meant to rub his failure into his face. Anakin approves.

Fox follows instantly, robotically, just as Vader said he would. It makes Anakin feel guilty to know that they're using the clones like this, and he silently vows to make it up to them. If they succeed, if Vader becomes Emperor, it will be easy enough for Anakin to give the clones rights. He can free them. They deserve no less than that for what they've endured. They're more than organic droids unlike what many Jedi seem to believe.

"You got my message then," Vader replies with satisfaction. As if either of them had any doubt that the bounty hunter would fail to deliver the bodies.

"Indeed." Sidious sounds angry, and it definitely makes Anakin cautious. "I do wonder though: how did you manage to make my apprentice join you? You may have him temporarily, but not forever. His place is at my side, and you will fail, in the end."

Vader scoffs, the sound strange through the vocoder. "Anakin joined me willingly when he realized what a treacherous snake you are, Chancellor." He holds so much hatred in him, and it's boiling just beneath the surface, demanding release. His emotions are intense enough that Anakin can almost make out what's triggering them, can almost feel the many moments where Sidious mistreated Vader, keeping him chained to him.

"Did my master train you?" Sidious questions dangerously. "Did Plagueis betray me?"

"I suppose," Vader returns sardonically, "That is a question you should be asking yourself. Did he?" He tilts his helmet slightly. "I have no master. I will never have a master." The pure loathing which he feels at the thought of being forced to kneel is reflected in his voice.

Sidious hums. "Not Plagueis then," he surmises, "So who? You cannot have been an apprentice of my master's master, and Dooku would never have been crafty enough to train someone like you, much less keep it a secret from me."

"If you are smart, you can figure it out yourself," Vader mocks.

There is a moment of silent, as everyone seems to hold their breath. Anakin won't deny being curious, because he doubts that Pal- Sidious would ever figure out the truth. They're biding their time until the clones show up and finish the job. Hopefully.

"I ask myself: why would Skywalker side with a Sith he just met?" Sidious says aloud, and Anakin can hear the wicked smile in his voice. "I know him well, better than he knows himself, I might even say. I know his every fear, his every weakness. I know his wants, his needs, his dreams. And despite that, I have not yet been able to turn him. I ask myself: what you could you, Lord Vader, offer Skywalker which I could not? Or is it… mutual. Is he giving you something as well?" He pauses, and there is a feeling of foreboding in the air.

Anakin feels as if he can't get enough air into his lungs. Somehow, somehow, he knows that this was a mistake. This – Sidious was clever and crafty enough to outwit the entire Jedi Council and Senate. Can they really fool him? But really, time travel is unheard of, so there's no way that Sidious will figure it out. It's impossible, right?

"Lord Vader, it is possible that you have accomplished the impossible? Is it possible that… you are Anakin Skywalker?"

Anakin forgets how to breath entirely, and even Vader's respirator seems to freeze – though it doesn't. The moment is broken by a blaster bolt. Sidious jerks, turning, yellow eyes blazing with fury. "You betrayed me, Skywalker," he snarls. "When I finish this, I will find you, and I will rip from your mind every last drop of information which you know about the future."

With those words, the connection is broken.

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