Chapter Two

Jedi Temple

Coruscant

Afternoon (sixth day after collapse)

Anakin sat thinking about what he had done, about the betrayal he committed against the Chancellor. Despite being the Sith, he was someone who had cared for him like a father.

This made Anakin begin to feel a discomfort in his being, in conscience and in fear.

What if I had made a bigger mistake? Palpatine was maybe going to help him, and now he wouldn't.

When I spoke to him, I knew I wouldn't be speaking to this good man, but to the Sith who had run a huge ruthless conspiracy. He would be in front of a cruel and dark monster who would now surely hate him, and if one day he needed his help, he would no longer support him.

That caused him fear, a great conflict, because his wife was in danger. Palpatine wouldn't help him and now maybe not even the Jedi with all this.

Feeling fear and frustration, perhaps even fearing the worst, even possible revenge against him and Padme.

But he still knew, or hoped, that his friend Palpatine was still inside and not just Sidious.

Sidious was still under arrest in the Jedi temple, but he was alone. With the exception of some other Jedi guarding the entrance to the place where he was.

In that loneliness, inside him, there was a fury that invaded him and he felt like it was devouring him.

Darth Sidious knew perfectly well that he could lure Anakin to the dark side since he was a child. Pretending to be a father figure who would listen to all his problems... it was not in his plans, a loving attachment to the child, even admitting that he cared about him and that he cared about him deep down. It wasn't enough to give up his plans or get rid of Anakin in cases like this.

What was incredible was that he couldn't prevent Anakin's betrayal against him.

He knew that Anakin was not yet ready to begin the paths of the Sith, he was still part of the Jedi. And that's why I was vulnerable to not being sure of anything or anything.

But the most interesting thing was that I didn't know what this strange connection with Anakin in the force was. For a moment he thought... but it couldn't be, could it? A dyad of strength? All the pieces fit into that conclusion... years ago his teacher tried to form one with him, but failed. Now he had formed one with Anakin…

Within moments he felt Anakin's thoughts. In which he regretted his betrayal, and his wife's fear of losing her. And he was definitely going to use that against him.

He knew that he was afraid to face him for his betrayal, and that now he would only be the face of the Sith and not that of his friend... but he still had hope.

But Sidious had something planned to use against him, and also not just to help him in his plans as he already had planned.

Under the kind face of Chancellor Palpatine, he would feign a reconciliation with Skywalker. And in the end I would give him a punishment for his betrayal, I would make him remember for the rest of his life that you don't play with him and much less betray yourself.

As Anakin headed to the sections where Palpatine was, he was thinking about what his meeting with him would be like, after last night's confrontation.

He knew that Palpatine wouldn't hurt him... but Sidious was capable of doing it and even worse, he could even kill him. That night he could feel the anger and hatred that radiated from the dark lord of the Sith and his terrible power and dominance in the dark side of the force.

It was difficult to convince the council that they will let him see Palpatine from time to time. But in the end they agreed, it was part of the deal in exchange for Anakin helping them capture Palpatine.

Once entering the room, with the permission of the Jedi master guarding the entrance. He saw Palpatine tied to force-proof bracelets. He could see that the Jedi had done him the favor of healing his face and legs... but those fatherly pale blue eyes that Anakin had seen for many years had been replaced with a yellow full of hatred and anger.

Anakin and Sidious looked directly at each other without either saying anything. But as much as Sidious tried to control himself, he burst into anger at her betrayal.

"I'm going to kill them! I'm going to kill them all like animals, and you for being a liar, for being a disgrace, for being a scoundrel," Sidious growled furiously. "I thought you were different from the other Jedi! But you're just like everyone else!"

Anakin felt great remorse "Chancellor, listen to me... I was willing to learn from you to save my wife and children... but Padme gave me an ultimatum: what do you want me to do?"

"She gave you an ultimatum? When you planned to betray me!?" Sidious questioned annoyed.

"A few days ago... it was after I promised to follow his teachings. If I didn't accept, the Jedi were going to kill him... they promised that they would spare his life if he helped them capture him..." Anakin confessed to Sidious the reason for his motives.

Anakin seeing that Sidious had calmed down a little, or at least that's what it seemed, seeing that the yellow eyes had returned to a pale blue tone, he began to speak.

"Chancellor, I am still willing to learn the Sith arts, I want to save my wife."

But Palpatine only looks at him with hatred and great disappointment.

"And why would I do it now? Tell me... I don't trust you anymore, especially after what you've done" Palpatine took a moment and said again "Anakin... I saw you for a moment as a son... and how "Did you pay me? With a betrayal"

This was part of Sidious' plan, to make Anakin feel more and more guilty, and it actually worked. Anakin in his mind repeated over and over what he had done, Palpatine had never done anything to him before.

"Chancellor I would never do it again…" Anakin said with all the sincerity of his heart.

"How? Tell me how could I trust you again? Because I have no reason anymore."

Anakin thought and it was very dangerous, but it was the only way "I could... I could help you with the Jedi, I escaped from this place sir"

Sidious took a moment and thought, he knew it was working. Anakin was no longer loyal to the order... the only reason he stayed on the side of the light. It was for Obi-wan Kenobi and Padme Amidala and he understood it very well, when Anakin explained the reasons for his betrayal. Now Sidious had no doubt about it: he would have to destroy the people who were keeping Anakin in the light and then truly the child would finally be his.

"Prove it... remove these bracelets that contain me. And if you do we will talk, that is the only option Anakin"

He thought about it for a moment, if he did he would be betraying the Jedi in an irreversible way... but he would have the hope of having Padme by his side. He would fulfill the promise he made to his wife... he would not become a Sith, but he would learn the knowledge of the dark side to save her.

"Okay... I'm going to let it go, sir, but on the condition that we're going to talk calmly, okay?" Palpatine nodded with his gaze and Anakin fearfully removed the bracelets and freed him.

Instantly Sidious smiled, and launched force rays against Anakin in disbelief of what Palpatine had just done.

"This is what you deserve for your betrayal...no one does that to me and walks away unscathed...do you hear me Anakin?"

Anakin had never felt so much power before, not even with Count Dooku, when he lost an arm to him.

There while he writhed on the ground and Sidious laughed intensely. He realized that Sidious had too much power like no one else in history.

"Consider it your punishment for your betrayal... now we are even. I think it's time to work together once and for all" Sidious declared with a malicious smile that made Anakin's blood run cold as he saw the darkness in his gaze.

Coruscant

senate building

Night (sixth day after collapse)

The senate is in chaos after the separatist attack. In the senate building, it was a disaster without knowing what was happening, Chancellor Palpatine was nowhere to be seen.

The senators feared the worst, however they could not say that he was dead, but no one knew where he was.

Until Padme Amidala appears at the meeting, along with the terrible news that Chancellor Palpatine has been kidnapped by the Separatists.

The recording began to be heard in the Senate room, all the senators were attentive to the evidence that Senator Amidala had presented.

"Be on the lookout," Kit Fisto suddenly shouted, "Separatist assassin droids!" "protect the Chancellor!"

"Master Yoda! They're trying to take him away. Cover him!" Mace Windu shouted "They have it Master Yoda."

In the recording the voices of the Jedi masters could be heard, trying to save the Chancellor from the Separatist hands.

"How could they hear? The Jedi were trying to protect the Chancellor from the Separatists!" Padme mentioned before the Senate that in the face of this situation all the senators were silent. "I propose a vote to annul the investigation order to the Jedi order. We need the Jedi to get out of this crisis."

The voting motion to annul the investigation into the Jedi order was not fully approved. Several senators could no longer trust the Jedi.

At this, Padme Amidala was filled with helplessness inside. The republic itself had put the noose around its neck... being deceived for a long time.

But there comes a sigh of momentary calm, knowing that Palpatine was now in the hands of the Jedi.

Vice Chancellor Mas Amedda stated that the motion to quash the Jedi order investigation is suspended for the time being. Until then, the Jedi will continue to be confined to their temple and those who were on other worlds would be under the custody of clone soldiers.

Once the meeting was over, Mas Amedda was not buying the story that the Jedi were trying to save Palpatine from Separatist hands, when the Jedi discovered that Palpatine is Darth Sidious.

But Amedda had her doubts and fears, when she arrived at Palpatine's quarters in the 500 republic, along with the medical staff. The Chancellor was nowhere to be found. They searched the building but found nothing.

But at one point, he received a call from a communicator. And it was Palpatine who spoke to him.

"Chancellor, where are you, are you okay?" Mas Amedda asked, worried about the answer.

"The Jedi captured me at night, during the Separatist attack," Palpatine mentioned with an angry tone.

"Sir... the Jedi, they made it look like a terribly successful separatist kidnapping. To the senate you are kidnapped by the separatists" answered Mas Amedda, reporting the situation to the senate. "They are requesting a motion to quash the investigation into the Jedi order."

"Do not let the Senate make impulsive decisions in my absence," Palpatine declared through the holocommunicator. "It is clear that the Jedi plan to destroy all my plans, while I am here, in their temple."

"Chancellor, if you wish, execute order 66 immediately on the clones," Mas Amedda recommended, alarmed.

"No… no, not without him. Not while I don't have young Skywalker on my side," Palpatine mentioned.

Palpatine refused, it was still too early, there was a specific time for that. He had to have Anakin on his side before proclaiming himself emperor.

"Keep alert, and everyone else. I have no doubt that the Jedi are going to come after you," Palpatine ordered. "Where is Senator Amidala?"

"In fact, after the meeting in the senate is over. She is heading towards the Jedi temple, with the Jedi and with Skywalker... sir, why?"

Palpatine explained Skywalker's betrayal because of Padme Amidala... it was her fault that he found himself in this situation.

And he declared that he had to teach Anakin a lesson, and it would be with his wife Padme, he had to know that you don't play with him.

Anakin agrees to help Sidious escape from the Jedi temple in order to regain his trust. But Sidious plans his revenge against Anakin, since he is a Sith Lord who does not know forgiveness.