Chapter 2 - Arrival
Author's Note: Yes, I know Obi-Wan and the Jedi as a group aren't being very nice to Anakin, but in their defense, he's a Sith apprentice. I'm sure you know how wary the Jedi are of Sith. xP It's like they have tunnel vision when it comes to them, and yeah, maybe it's for a good reason, but still. :)
~ Amina Gila
It's been a year since Anakin was last on Coruscant, when Sidious finished his first term as Chancellor. The city looks every bit the way it did when Anakin left, but being able to feel nothing here is jarring. For all he knows, everyone could be dead, and he wouldn't know. He can only rely on what he can see, not the gaping emptiness.
The pounding in his head is only worse now, too. Are Force restraints supposed to hurt this much? Or is it just that Anakin is literally half-Force – based on what his master told him once – and being cut off from the Force would probably hurt him a lot more? He can't really tell if it's hurting Sidious or not.
His master's expression is as impassive as ever.
He can't help remembering when he first came here when he was nine, though. His mother had been shot by Tuskens only weeks before. Everything had been little but a blur after that, until Maul had found. He'd... killed Watto, and took Anakin to Coruscant, to Sidious. Sidious freed him, even if he doesn't think he has any idea what that meant any more than he ever has. (Though Sidious always feeds him and doesn't beat him the way Watto did, so maybe that's – that's always what it meant, so he doesn't know why he often feels like it was supposed to mean something more.)
Anakin doesn't know the details of what happened to Maul, but there was a... battle on Naboo and he was killed there, by the Jedi. The Trade Federation ended up winning, anyway, taking over the planet.
The shuttle lands in the Jedi Temple hangar, and they're escorted right to the... Council chambers?
Anakin doesn't even know why they haven't killed them yet, but he expected to be taken to the prison levels – they have that, right? – not to meet the Council.
What, is this some kind of fancy execution? It isn't like he knows enough about the Jedi to be able to tell what they're planning. All he knows is that he doesn't like this.
It's unsettling to be in the center of the twelve Jedi Masters, when he can feel their eyes on him. Well, he can't actually feel it, and that's half the problem. But whatever happens to him and his master next is entirely on them, and he hates feeling this... helpless. Even if he's used to it.
"The Senate will hear of this," Sidious tells them, mildly. It's not legal what they did, Anakin is certain. Being a Sith isn't illegal.
"Being a Sith is far from your only crime," Windu replies, coldly.
What do they know? What are they referring to, anyway?
"A proposal to make to you, we have," the small green creature at the front of the room – Yoda – says. Proposal? They brought them all the way here to... offer them something? Whatever that could be, Anakin's certain it's something in the Jedi's favor.
"You have sensed the growing disturbance in the Force, haven't you?" Windu asks.
Of course, Anakin has. He doubts any Force user hasn't, but he doesn't see how that's relevant to them. He stays quiet, though, waiting for his master to speak.
"The disturbance connected with the unknown Force wielder?" Sidious inquires, sounding decidedly uninterested.
They've all heard the rumors on the holonews, about a mysterious Force wielder who no one's ever seen, that's been slaughtering people senselessly everywhere it goes. There's no sense or anything behind the attack, but Anakin noticed a wrongness growing in the Force from right before the rumors first surfaced.
He'd asked his master about it once, and he'd just flat out told him that it wasn't their problem – it was the Jedi's, and probably a result of the Jedi's stupidity in the first place. That doesn't mean Anakin didn't still think about it sometimes, but with the Jedi hunting them, it's not like they can openly help people anyway.
"Is it your doing?" the Cerean Jedi Master demands.
"What purpose would that serve?" Sidious replies, idly.
"You're a Sith."
As if that somehow explains why they would kill senselessly. Anakin doesn't understand why there's all this hatred between them. Why does either side have to destroy the other, simply because they have different beliefs?
"With matters of far greater importance to attend to, than your trivial concerns," Sidious responds.
"This... creature will become far more than a trivial concern," Windu replies, leaning forwards, though he looks no happier than the Cerean about having to deal with them. "The destruction it is causing has been severely downplayed to avoid panic, but it's very presence in the Force is wrong, as though it should not exist."
Anakin stiffens, gaze momentarily darting up from the spot on the floor he's been inspecting this entire time. If there's something like this out there...
"You're asking the Sith for help?" Sidious deduces, a note of dark amusement in his voice.
"A creature of the Dark Side, this being is. Work together for now, we must, to prevent the destruction of the galaxy, we will."
He has no idea if the Jedi are being dramatic, or if it's really that serious. He wouldn't know, though, really – Anakin has been on Naboo for years. He has no idea what the rest of the galaxy is like. He's grown up on three planets, and if the situation is worse than he realized, no one has been publicizing it. Probably, to avoid panic like they said?
"As I said, your trivial concerns are of no consequence to me," his master replies, flippantly.
It doesn't sound trivial to Anakin, but his master didn't ask his opinion, so he opts not to offer it. He wouldn't, in front of the Jedi, anyway.
"You will doom the galaxy," warns one of the other members.
"After the creature is dealt with, we will consider working out an... arrangement," proposes Windu, though he sounds very unhappy at even offering that.
Is that a genuine offer, or are they just saying it to get something they want?
"I'm well aware of what arrangements the Jedi will be interested in," he replies, unmoving.
The Council members exchange glances. "No is your final answer?" asks another.
"Do you believe me to be a fool enough to assist you?" Sidious queries. He's making a point of showing how absolutely ludicrous he finds the situation.
Anakin finds it ridiculous, too, but he's still worried. What if this does really affect them? And it'll give them a chance to escape, too.
Windu signals for the Temple guards waiting outside, and they approach.
They're here to escort them out, and Anakin makes a move to leave because he figured that's what he was supposed to do, but Yoda's voice stops him. "Speak to your apprentice alone, we shall."
What? Why would they want that?
Anakin freezes, gaze darting between Sidious and the Jedi. He can't really refuse, but he doesn't like the thought of having to talk to them alone. What if he says something his master didn't want him to? Or – or if they hurt Sidious when he's not there, or –
The door closes behind his master, and Anakin can only stand there and watch him go, wondering if he'll even get to see him again.
He feels even more lost and alone now that he's standing in the center of the room by himself.
"What's your name?" the Kel Dor asks him.
He hesitates a moment, but there's no real reason not to tell them. His name will give away nothing. No one knows about him. "Anakin Skywalker."
"Young, you are," Yoda speaks up, "Not as blinded by the Dark Side as your master is. The chance to take up our offer, you still have."
Anakin has... no idea what to say to that. Agreeing would give him a chance at finding a way out, but he can't really agree for his master. If Sidious already refused, he doubts he'd be happy at all if Anakin disregarded that. But this might be their only chance at getting out of here, at putting off whatever the Jedi really plan to do with them. And if this creature is really a threat, it doesn't feel right to just do nothing.
The purpose of the Sith was to help where the Jedi failed, and all he's ever wanted to do is help. Doesn't mean he can just... agree where his master didn't, though, can he? "What is it doing?" he asks finally, because that's what he needs to know. If it's even as serious as they're making it sound like... he doesn't have much choice.
Something is wrong, and Anakin has felt it for a long time. He wants to help, because something is hurting the Force, and it shouldn't be.
"It shows up on various planets with no pattern, killing everyone nearby senselessly, and usually disappearing before we get there," replies another member, "But we've encountered it briefly, and it's a creature of the Dark Side."
"How can I help, where you can't?" Anakin asks, cautiously.
"You know the Dark Side," Windu answers, bluntly, "You may stand a better chance at stopping it."
For them to go so far as asking a Sith for help, it must be serious. And it doesn't really feel right to refuse when people are dying from it.
Besides, it's his fault they got captured in the first place, so he should at least try to get himself and Sidious out. Somehow. Even if he's probably going to just mess it up even worse. That always seems to happen, and trying to talk to the Council makes him feel like – like when he was talking to the masters back on Tatooine. And he's so afraid of messing up and saying the wrong thing and making this worse.
"If I helped you, what would happen to my master?"
He doesn't like the looks the Council members are exchanging. Doesn't trust them.
"He will be kept here," Windu replies, coldly.
"No harm will come to him," the Kel Dor assures.
Anakin doesn't know that he really believes that, but there's nothing he can do. If he turns down this offer, they'll have no way of getting out.
He has to decide now, though, and he can only hope this is the right choice. If he could feel the Force, at least it would give him some comfort. At least he wouldn't feel so desperately alone, like he's lost in the middle of nothingness because he can't feel anything. "I... I'll help you," he says finally, desperately hoping this isn't a terrible mistake.
Maybe he doesn't want to, but it still feels like this is something he has to do.
"We have assigned Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi to work with you on this mission," Windu says.
Either he's making this up on the spot, or they were really counting on Anakin to help them. It reminds him of how his own master knows all these things and is able to plan for them. That's not something Anakin has ever understood, and he doesn't like seeing it.
The Jedi Master nods to Obi-Wan, the younger human who was there on Naboo, and he moves forwards to take Anakin's binders off. His hands snap free for the first time, and he can feel the Force in its fullest again. His still raging headache is reaching an all-time high, and maybe that's part of why he wasn't able to think clearly enough to refuse the Jedi's offer.
It's probably a trap of some kind, but he has to try.
The Force on Coruscant is overwhelming, every bit as much as it was when he first came here years ago, though at least now, he's able to somewhat shield himself from it.
Anakin still doesn't know what to think about the Jedi asking him for help, but that's not something to think about right now.
Not when they take him back outside, and he realizes his master is being led in the opposite direction.
"Master?" he calls, panic lighting up in his chest, hot and burning. He pauses, even if the Jedi accompanying him tries to nudge him forwards. Anakin pulls away, turning back, even if he doesn't dare outright fight them. He's not stupid enough to do that in the Jedi's Temple where there are so many people. "Where – what –"
"He hasn't agreed to help us," Obi-Wan points out, "So long as that remains the case, he's still a threat to us."
No. Nonono – they can't kill him, too. He already lost his mother, and Maul, and he lost all his friends on Tatooine, including Kitster, even if he's at least still alive. "But – you can't – you –"
"He's a Sith," Obi-Wan replies briskly, "If we have reason to believe he's a danger, we must contain him."
That's better than killing, and Anakin tries to tell himself that in a frantic jumble of repetition as he watches them lead his master away.
Sidious looks back at him, but only briefly, and he feels the dark Force presence disappearing down the hall, leaving him here with... nothing.
Except being surrounded by enemies, and Anakin has no idea what to do. He's lost and terrified, and he can't let the Jedi see that, because they'll use it against him. They'll use it to hurt him, just like his master warned him about countless times. Anakin knows how to deal with fear, but he's never felt so completely helpless before.
He's never not meant something to at least someone, except those – that month or so on Tatooine before Maul finally found and rescued him.
Maul, who the Jedi killed.
And they're going to do the same to him and his master once this is all over.
They might not have made it obvious, but Anakin knows the Jedi. Sidious told him what they're like, and he knows. And yeah, maybe he wants to help people, but it still makes him feel used to be helping the Jedi with something, no matter that this particular mission is something that he entirely agrees with.
And Anakin might never see him again, just like Maul.
It's instinctive that he lurches forwards, desperate and ready to fight if he has to, because they can't take his master, and he has no idea how to do anything without him.
He's always had a master, even if it was different with Sidious and he never hurt him.
He's never been in a situation where he's been totally lost before. He's always had a parent or – or something, someone to tell him what to do, but he needs to find a way out of here with Sidious so they can – can – figure out what to do from here.
Anakin can't just let them take him.
"Stand down," the Jedi orders sharply, moving to block his path. "We're not like you. We don't hurt prisoners."
Like him? He's never even had a prisoner. "You can't – he's –"
"Anakin," Obi-Wan says firmly, pushing him back, "He's being taken to the restraining area of the Temple. It's a safety precaution."
There's nothing he can do, and the helplessness of it is grating on him like nothing else can. This is his master, and he's the only person Anakin has left. He's panicking, and that's probably stupid, but he can't help it either. He – he lost everyone, and Anakin knows how easily that could happen again.
"Where are you taking me?" he asks.
"To your new quarters," Obi-Wan replies, "You'll be next to me."
So he can keep babysitting Anakin, of course.
Predictable, but he still doesn't like it.
He doesn't know these people. He certainly doesn't trust them – how can he know they aren't going to hurt him, even if they claim they won't?
What is he even supposed to do?
Every step away from Sidious is hard, nigh impossible, but he can't – can't do anything, and Anakin hates himself for it. He's supposed to be able to. He doesn't know how he got them both captured in the first place. How could have messed up on something like that? It's obvious he's far from ready.
The Temple is big, and it's somehow fancier than Anakin anticipated. He'd call it beautiful, even if he weren't so on edge. The ceilings – at least in most places – are tall, insanely so, and they do well at making everyone look tiny.
Obi-Wan takes him to the lift, and Anakin watches closely. There are countless floors, and he has no idea how to find his way around. It's big, and he doesn't know how he'd get out, even if the Jedi weren't constantly watching, which he knows they will be.
He doesn't know what to do.
"You will have your own quarters," Obi-Wan says shortly, "That should be all you need."
Anakin might be a prisoner here, but he's not a slave, and even if he is, he's not going to just let them do whatever they want.
He's a Sith, and that – he'll be clear about that if he has to be.
These are his enemies, even if he used to dream about being one of them.
Sidious gave him something the Jedi never did, never will, and never would, because he never mattered to them.
Anakin hasn't interacted with people much in a long time, and he feels awkward about doing it now. He never used to. Being so... closed off has changed a lot about him, and the time where he talked to other people wasn't always hard.
"Where did Sidious find you?" the Jedi queries, and Anakin shoots him a glare. He doesn't want to talk about himself or give them any information.
"Doesn't matter."
"Did he tell you not to talk about it?"
"You're my enemy," Anakin snaps back, "I'm not stupid enough to give you anything." That could be used against either him or his master. It's hard to say what the Jedi is playing at. All he knows is that he doesn't like it, and it's undoubtedly nothing good.
Are they trying to learn more about the Sith through Anakin? But if they already found them, what good would it do them? Anakin doesn't much know the details of anyone else Sidious works with. He's never needed to.
"You don't need to make this mission more unpleasant," Obi-Wan replies, sounding the slightest bit irked.
"You're the one who brought me here," he retorts. Why would he care if he made it pleasant for them to work with him? It isn't like he's the one asking, even if Anakin knows he probably shouldn't try to antagonize him.
"To give you the chance to do something better than being a danger to everyone," Obi-Wan throws back.
He feels the first real flare of anger, past the fear that's still smothering him. The Jedi are hardly ones to speak of that. "You're the ones who ignore the needs of so many who need your help, because they aren't important unless the Senate says so." He needs to stop antagonizing him. Probably, he should just be quiet, but he'd tired of being so afraid, and it hurts in some way, being in these halls knowing he could've been a Jedi if they actually cared to help everyone, and his mother would still be alive.
"Because the Sith are so much better," Obi-Wan shoots back, icily. Something about the sudden edge of anger seems personal, in a way Anakin doesn't really understand. "All they do is destroy."
It's stupid for him to be so upset by it, but he is, and the hurt and anger burning inside him aren't something that'll just go away. He knows these people, used to know how to handle them, but it feels like he... doesn't anymore? He's changed from who he was years ago.
That doesn't mean he won't fight back.
"We help when the Jedi sit back and do nothing," Anakin snaps.
Obi-Wan scoffs. "How? You were hardly concerned about the creature on the loose. Your master might have convinced you that his intentions to dominate and rule are for the best, that whatever you've been doing is going to help someone, but it won't do anything but hurt people. At least he's somewhere he's no longer a danger."
He has no idea why the words hurt so much, when it's not even true, but they do. All he's ever wanted is to help, and Sidious always told him they would, even if Anakin didn't really understand his methods.
It still felt like sometimes he was just going to end up hurting people, even if he knows there's always things that have to be destroyed.
And hearing the reminder that Sidious is locked away, that he doesn't know if he'll ever see him again or what the Jedi will be doing to him, only floods him with that sheer helplessness again.
For as accustomed to that feeling as Anakin is, he hasn't felt it in years, and now that it's just back, he has no idea how to handle it.
All he knows is that he's trapped here and with Sidious locked up, there really isn't a way out for either of them, and everything he's ever worked for has probably been for nothing. Everything Sidious ever worked for has probably been entirely destroyed too, and it's all Anakin's fault for getting himself captured in the first place. He feels even worse that there's a tiny part of him that is desperately glad he hasn't had to have a conversation with his master about that yet.
He just wishes he knew what to do, but there's no one he can go to, no one to – to give him orders because that's what he's so used to following. And it's a lot easier than having to figure this out entirely alone. Especially when for all he knows, he might be alone forever if they do something to Sidious.
He wants to cry, which is ridiculous and won't help anything,but he can hardly force the tears back anymore. He hates this, and he just wants to be out of here.
Obi-Wan glances sideways at him, maybe expecting a response, but Anakin hastily looks away. He doesn't think it was fast enough to hide it, though.
Obi-Wan doesn't say anything, though in the Force, he seems to be feeling uncomfortable.
The rest of their walk passes in silence, until they reach Anakin's room, which is in a long hall with doors to individual quarters. A Knight who looks close to Obi-Wan's age passes them, throwing a curious, wary glance at Anakin which he pointedly avoids.
Anakin steps inside, half-curious, half-uncertain as he looks around. It's plain and un-personalized. The furniture is nice, even if nothing near as fancy as Sidious' mansion. It's... not a prison. Certainly far nicer than anything he ever had on Tatooine.
"You'll be expected to stay here unless I'm with you," Obi-Wan says, lingering in the doorway.
That's... reasonable, though it'll make it hard for him to find some way out of here. To be fair, he'd probably be hopelessly lost if he wandered off on his own, anyway.
Anakin nods, slowly turning to face him again. "What now?"
Obi-Wan studies him, consideringly. "I imagine it... has been a long day for you, and it's getting late. We can speak in the morning."
Anakin blinks, slightly caught off-guard. He... definitely isn't in a state to try focusing on the mission right now, and he's mildly surprised the Jedi would even respect that. Especially after how he was acting earlier.
"In... the morning," Anakin supplies in agreement.
Obi-Wan nods. "Let me know if you need anything."
'Thank you' is hardly an appropriate answer when he's their prisoner, but he isn't sure what to say so he just nods. Anakin's not really used to being around people he doesn't know anymore, and it's making him uncomfortable again. It never used to be that way once, when he was on Tatooine, but it's different now.
He's not a slave. He's free. Sidious took his slave chip out, and he doesn't need to worry about being enslaved again, because the Jedi wouldn't... do that. He's a prisoner, yes, but they wouldn't... he's not a slave anymore.
So, why does it still feel like it?
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