Chapter 6: Empire Day
They had spent a few days in Theed since they had arrived and during that time they had stayed in a small inn, there were about three days left until Empire Day throughout the galaxy, large parades were going to be held on Coruscant that were broadcast throughout the galaxy. galaxy through the Holonet.
Both had decided to go there as soon as possible but that world, unlike all the others, was extremely dangerous for them.
"That planet is different Engel, it is dangerous there. "It's not just about arriving and entering the old temple." Anakin said.
"If I had already thought about that, and we don't even know who could take us there and to What a price, though… your mental trick will help." Engel answered as a joke and They both laughed loudly.
"There are more freighters in this place too. Maybe there is someone to take us to Coruscant, Engel."
"Yes, there are several transports that may help us get there as soon as possible."
Soon they had left for the Spaceport in the city of Theed. And right there was a cargo ship with other people, tomorrow they were going to leave for Coruscant.
"Well, Anakin, everything is already settled, tomorrow we will leave Coruscant. Surely we will find something there that will reveal the whole truth." Engel said while they were getting their things ready to leave the next day.
They rested the rest of the day to rest for the next day. When they woke up they went directly to the Spaceport where they boarded the cargo ship immediately.
"It's time to go, gentlemen. I hope there isn't too much surveillance from the Empire, although this will undoubtedly be the case because it's Empire Day."
The pilots announced before leaving, starting the engines and taking off.
Anakin and Engel thought about everything they found and what they would see on Coruscant, Anakin felt through the Force that he would find something very important.
''How do you feel Anakin?''
"Better, but without a doubt I will find something very important on Coruscant Engel, the Force is already telling me." Anakin answered, leaning back in his seat.
The trip lasted at least two hours, when leaving Hyperspace they saw through the window the enormous Imperial Cruisers that orbit the planet like Tie Fighter ships. among all types of security.
''Wow, there is a lot of security as I thought...'' Said one of the pilots next to the Gungan.
''It's Empire Day, what could we wait for?'' He responded, entering his access code to the planet and giving them authorization to land in the capital of Coruscant.
The ship arrives at the terminal, Anakin and Engel got off the ship without attracting the attention of everyone who was there, not to mention the large amount of security that was full of Stormtrooper soldiers and Imperial officers.
They quickly walked through the streets without attracting attention until they reached the metropolitan district, there was a great parade for the holiday, marches in perfect formations as both officers and combat ships including AT-ATs among others.
Anakin and Engel just watched the parade calmly.
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They stayed watching the parade for a while longer until Anakin whispered in Engel's ear in the middle of the parade, "Come on... we must get to the Jedi Temple, I remember where it is."
Anakin and Engel began to walk away from the parade, to a calmer part, Anakin knew how to get to the Jedi temple, but Engel had a doubt.
''Do you really remember where it is?''
Anakin nodded calmly. "Yes, I still know but I have a doubt, and I fear the worst. Engel answered with a fear of something he came to think.
A little more time passed and they arrived, but Anakin's fear was true. The Jedi Temple was no longer there or rather, it had been rebuilt in another way, it was now the Imperial Palace. Anakin was left speechless and stood speechless.
''What's happening? What's wrong Anakin?''
Anakin shook his head in frustration and annoyance. "That's... or rather... it was Engel."
''What thing? The imperial palace?'' Engel didn't know what Anakin was referring to.
"The Jedi temple is now the imperial palace, Engel, and I don't know what to think or do now." Anakin replied with a feeling of frustration.
They both saw the large crowd there, according to what some people said the Emperor was about to give his annual discussion and it was about to get dark.
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"We have to get to the Engel restricted area, we have to go through security," Anakin said as he walked through the large number of people.
They did not notice that at the entrance was the Emperor's trusted assistant, Sly Moore, in charge of the guest list for the gala. Anakin and Engel little by little approached the entrance at the same time, not wanting to attract attention... but at that moment Engel's face was uncovered.
Sly Moore was still reviewing the guest list and when she looked up, at that moment she was stunned that face was identical to... leaving her speechless, it was just like Sidious. But who is that man...? thought Sly Moore without taking his eyes off her.
At that moment Emperor Palpatine was in his palace box to give his annual speech each year. When Anakin saw the Emperor for the first time, with that black robe and his deformed face, he felt an overwhelming fear that invaded him completely, some words echoed in his head. "Join me, there is no other way" and with it all the memories of Obi-Wan and the Jedi Council of how they distrusted Palpatine that perhaps he was the Sith Lord called Darth Sidious infiltrating the Senate of the Republic.
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Anakin still couldn't recover from the shock he had and the memories that came to his mind made him fall to the ground on his knees, feeling like he would faint right there... he was out of breath.
''Anakin, what's wrong with you? It seems like you've seen a ghost. What's wrong with you?'' Engel asked him but Anakin didn't say anything, he couldn't respond or speak at all.
But at that moment Sly Moore was still watching Engel from a distance, unable to believe that he was the same as Emperor Palpatine himself, he was wondering who he could be. But Anakin felt through the Force he felt a threat, the presence in the Force of Sly Moore, Palpatine's faithful assistant.
Anakin quickly stood up and took Engel's hand, they ran as fast as they could.
"We have to go, we have to hide Engel right now, I sense a great danger for us." Anakin said, managing to get out of sight of Sly Moore in the middle of the crowd, she was yelling at the Stromptrooper soldiers to stop them both.
This made Palpatine, at the top of where he was, feel a presence in the Force, one that was very familiar to him, causing him to immediately look down but found no one.
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Entering the abandoned area of the Imperial Palace without any guard, Anakin managed to catch my breath.
''Anakin, what happened? why did you react like that? If you're trying to scare me, you've succeeded,'' Engel said with some annoyance at his way of acting.
"Sorry Engel, I just wanted to run from that place as fast as possible."
''So what do we do now Anakin?'' Engel asked and they both began to look around, all this was the farthest part of the Imperial Palace but which was once an important part of the Jedi Temple.
"This is... or at least the archive room once was. We should go that way."
They both began to walk through the abandoned hallways, no matter how much they walked they couldn't find anything or at least that was what Anakin thought. "I think I know where it is." It's down that hallway, let's go."
Managing to find the archive room of the Jedi temple, where the entire database they had in the Temple was kept but everything had been looted by Empire.
They saw counters full of dust with holographic devices that had not been used in years, mostly to record information.
''Engel... light one... whatever. I need to see what happened here, a lot of bad things happened here, I'm sorry."
Engel simply pressed one of the buttons, activating a holographic image. that illuminated the entire place. In these holograms they saw the great events of the time of the Clone War and all the Jedi who were in it. In this way Engel saw with amazement the great events that he never knew about because he spent a large part of his life in his world.
''It's incredible that all this has happened in the galaxy... me and my family who never met us
"We learned all this from being in our world for so long." Engel said to Anakin, but he only continued seeing the information, now he began to remember everything about Ashoka, Obi-Wan his teacher, Yoda, Mace Windu but... especially Padme and who she had been to him.
He continued watching the holographic recordings, but the last thing was the most important thing, feeling something in his being that he didn't know what to interpret. Seeing how he had given himself over to the Dark Side in Palpatine's office after saving him from Mace Windu's attack and naming him Darth Vader as his new Sith apprentice.
But what he saw at the end was the worst for him, how in a fit of rage in the world of Mustafar he strangled his wife Padmé, how he brutally fought Obi-Wan until he left him almost dead next to a river of lava. on Mustafar and how he was rescued by him Emperor Palpatine and giving him the suit he was wearing being called Darth Vader throughout the galaxy ever since.
"Turn it off... turn it off Engel... I've seen enough... I finally remember everything now." Anakin said with so much pain and frustration in his mind, falling to his knees once again, taking his hands. hands to head feeling uncontrollable anger and pain.
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In the Imperial Palace in the middle of the gala party where everyone present was enjoying the party, Sly Moore was upset and confused, not knowing what to do, since she had not been able to talk to the Emperor.
But Amedda saw her and took her to a private place where they could talk, she had already noticed her strange behavior in her companion.
''Sly... What's wrong with you? You've been strange all night, what's wrong?'' Mas Amedda asked him in a loud voice.
''Something very strange happened a while ago But... I saw someone who looks like... I can't believe it''
But Mas still didn't understand, "What are you talking about?" who did you see?''.
Sly Moore sighed deeply as he said why he would doubt her. "I saw an old man just like Emperor Palpatine in the crowd, I know it sounds strange but that's Mas Amedda."
But that left Mas Amedda more confused. "Same?" I mean... with a robe and scars on his face?'' He said it with great disbelief, but Sly shook his head instantly.
"No... the face I saw was identical to that of His Majesty before the Jedi attempt on his life, when the Emperor was still Chancellor of the Republic in the clone wars, with exactly the same face."
But Mas Amedda still didn't believe him, such a thing seemed crazy to him. "I think you're simply wrong Sly or maybe you confused him with someone else, many of us have a double in this life, someone very similar." derision.
But Sly Moore kept insisting. ''No resemblance, I'm not telling you that they are the same, I was speechless when I saw him, he was practically the same as the Emperor. You know what I'm thinking, what if His Majesty's parents had twins, and for some reason, His Majesty was raised on Naboo and the other one was given up for adoption.
"But if what you tell me is true, there is no way to know, no one knows the Emperor's private life, he was always very reserved in that matter."
In the middle of the party where Palpatine was, he felt something he didn't know, it was a strange manifestation in the Force that made him remember someone. He excused himself to some guests to return to his office.
Upon entering he sat on his throne to do a strong meditation on the Force, he knew that something was happening around him and he had to know what it was. What I feel is something very powerful and ancient... I felt it in a part of the palace. He thought while concentrating deeply.
He opened his yellow eyes suddenly discovering that it was his apprentice. ''Lord Vader...''
He muttered to himself ''he's still alive and he's here on Coruscant...'' he quickly stood up from his throne and called his red guard and other officers who were there along with Stormtrooper soldiers ''The party's over... .inform everyone present! "Lord Vader is here, I want him alive, I want him brought to me as soon as possible!"