Chapter 25 - Downfall
Author's Note: Did y'all see THIS coming? ;)
~ Amina Gila
"You wanted to speak with me, Chancellor?" Anakin asks, approaching his desk. It was apparently urgent – he'd gotten the call directly from the Council.
"Yes," he agrees, standing, "I have received a report that Ventress is currently on Utapau with the other Separatist leaders."
"That's... good," Anakin says, genuinely smiling for the first time... in a long time, aside from when he reunited with Leia. This is what they've been waiting for. "Then we can finally end this war."
Palpatine only looks disturbed, though. "So I am hoping," he replies, "But I question if the Council will allow it."
He frowns. "What do you mean?" Why would he even say that? Yes, there's the whole thing about finding the Sith, but even if the Council objects to things, they can't actually make decisions.
"I know you've seen the tension between me and the Council, Anakin," he replies, gravely.
"Yes. I don't... understand it." Obi-Wan's always had a thing against Palpatine that he doesn't really get – sometimes, it's almost like he's jealous of him, though Anakin doesn't really understand why – but he thinks his former master has always made an effort for that not to affect his duty. And it's a problem with the other Council members too, not just him.
"I fear that it may go deeper than we believe. They are hiding things. I believe they may be planning to take action against the Republic itself."
Anakin stills. "That – I can't believe they would do that." But then he remembers how Obi-Wan was saying that there's something he can't tell him, that he's had to make hard choices as a Council member. But Obi-Wan would never betray the Republic. Anakin can't believe anyone on the Council would, and yet... there is something huge they're hiding. It can't be without reason and that doesn't mean it's anything like what Palpatine is saying, but... the Force is murky, not really answering. That it doesn't immediately confirm there's nothing to be suspicious of is sets him even more on edge.
"You can sense it, can't you?" he presses.
"I... don't know," Anakin replies, shaking his head, "I can't believe it's as serious as you're saying."
"I hope you are right," he answers, "But for now, I'm afraid we must be cautious. I would like you to take the information on Ventress to the Council. I have already requested that you be sent to lead the mission." Why he's telling Anakin directly instead of the Council, he isn't really sure.
"I'll go immediately," he promises. And then they can finally end the war.
Right?
He doesn't want to believe anything else, but it feels like it's too easy for this to finally be the end. Something is still coming, something dark and that hasn't passed yet. Ahsoka was right about that. Anakin doesn't like it, at all.
What if Palpatine is right, on some level, even if not entirely?
**w**
"Do you want to come?" Anakin asks, standing on the landing platform to his waiting ship alongside Luke and Leia.
Luke exchanges a glance with his twin. "I... think I'll stay here."
"Alright." He expected as much, anyway. Maybe the battle for Coruscant will be the last fight his son will ever have to fight. He still wishes he knew what was bothering Luke. He seems to be doing a little better than he was a few days ago, but it's still distinctly there. There's something distant and closed-off about how he's acting much of the time, and now isn't the time to push for it, but if it's still a problem when he gets back, maybe he'll approach him about it.
"You'll be alright alone?" Luke blurts, shifting.
That he still worries about Anakin even though it's his job to take care of him is... touching and adorable at once. Though Luke has helped save him numerous times in the past. "Of course. Be with your sister while you can be."
He nods, smiling faintly.
"We'll make sure no crisis erupts on Coruscant while you get Ventress," Leia tells him cheerfully.
Anakin nods. "And with any luck, this will all be over soon."
"Doesn't Master Obi-Wan always complain that there's no such thing, whenever we say that?" Luke asks.
"Good thing I taught you otherwise," Anakin answers brightly. Despite what he senses, he can't help but be happy that this might finally be over. His children are finally together again, and he wants to keep it that way.
But he can't stop sensing the cloud in the Force, and... maybe he should warn them. "There is one thing you should know," he says, before he can change his mind. Even if nothing's wrong, he needs them to be prepared, so they'll be safe.
"What is it?" Leia asks, frowning, obviously picking up on the seriousness of it.
"I don't think there's anything to this, but Palpatine was... talking to me," Anakin begins, slowly, "He's worried about the Jedi's intentions with regards to ending the war."
"What does that mean?" Luke demands, stiffening.
It feels wrong, like he's accusing the Jedi and his once master of something so treasonous and out of character, to even be talking about this, but if something goes wrong, they need to know in advance. Anakin doesn't know when he'll get back and the war should end before he returns. "He thinks they might take action against... the Republic. I don't understand why he believes that, but I do know the Council is... hiding something. I don't believe that he's right, but be careful. If... there's really a chance something could go wrong."
The two exchange tensed glances.
"I can't believe they'd do that, either," Leia agrees, grimly.
"I don't either," Luke admits, "But there's been... you know, like Krell and Reva. Maybe it's some but not everyone?"
Anakin really doesn't want to think about it. "Just be careful," he requests, "This isn't something you can do anything about, regardless."
"We will be," Leia promises, before he turns to go.
"May the Force be with you," Luke adds, a bit more subdued.
Anakin watches them for a final moment, unsure what to make of the strange feeling he's getting that even though he'll see them again soon, everything is going to be... different, before he turns and heads for the shuttle. "Stay out of trouble," he adds again, just to be safe.
"We'll try!" Luke calls back, the same time Leia says, "No promises."
"That is reassuring," he tells them, dryly, and they both laugh, even if it's strained. He stalls for a moment longer before forcing himself to turn away.
He can't say why it doesn't feel any other mission he's ever gone on this time.
But he doesn't like that feeling, either.
**w**
There's no obvious signs of the Separatists when Anakin arrives on Utapau. He leaves the clones to prepare, going down to the surface in a fighter alone. The Prime Minister comes to greet him, and even though everyone is acting perfectly normal, he can sense the eyes watching him. Glancing around discreetly, he can see droids on rocky ledges far above them, watching.
Which is when the Pau'an whispers to him that they're being held hostage here, and the Separatist leaders are close by.
Anakin nods, stealthy slipping away to find them. He reaches a cleft in the rocks, pausing when he hears voices echoing down below. Ventress is talking, though her voice is too muffled to make out what she's saying, other than telling the leaders to head to a new hiding spot. That's... not good. The others are already standing to leave when Anakin arrives, and he jumps down over the edge of the rocky wall, shaking off his cloak as he lands.
Ventress whirls around, eyes narrowing. The Dark Side is whipping around her violently, uncontrolled. She's always had little control, but it's worse now.
Probably because of Maul.
They... asked for this, but Anakin can't deny a small measure of sympathy for her. But there's nothing he can do to help them.
"Skywalker," she snarls, drawing her lightsabers.
Anakin immediately pulls out his own, as droids all around start to turn towards him.
"Was it you?" she demands.
"No."
"Then who was it?"
"It doesn't matter," Anakin replies. Not like he'd ever tell her, especially knowing how vengeful she's going to be, even if he can... understand that. (He'd killed those slavers who hurt his mother, too.)
"Kill him," Ventress snarls – obviously, she's not arrogant enough to think she can defeat him this time if she hasn't before.
But Anakin was ready for this, even knowing that he's surrounded by droids. He lashes out with the Force, sending all the droids nearest to him flying into the ones behind them, then Force-jumps out of the way as the still standing ones fire on the spot where he was a second before. He lands in the middle of a group of droids, cutting them down, then reaches out with the Force to detach a heavy object hanging over the area. It lands with a deafening crash, crushing all the droids beneath it, and blocking any from that direction from shooting at him.
And then, the clones are suddenly flying down on jetpacks, shooting at the nearly endless lines of droids that are starting to pour in.
Ventress lunges at him with a furious snarl, and he swings to block her, shoving her back. She's fighting in a blind fury, not exactly sloppy, but it's far more wild than she usually is. And she's not as powerful as Maul.
He could finish this easily.
But for a moment, he thinks of Merrin. She's their... child, and even if they presumably willingly walked into this war, Merrin still lost one of her parents. Anakin knows that pain far too well.
And capturing Ventress would be far more useful regardless, even if it won't be nearly as easy to contain her effectively. It's a risk, but he'll take it if he can.
The duel is fast and furious as it carries across the clearing, towards the rocky ledges at the far end. Anakin finally sends one of her lightsabers flying, then throws her back with the Force, holding onto her before she can try jumping at him again.
He sprints over, leveling his lightsaber near her neck.
"You'll still lose," Ventress hisses, even as she grudgingly raises her hands in surrender, "It's too late."
A chill snakes down his spine, despite the nonsensicalness of the words. Because he doesn't think she's entirely bluffing. "Meaning?" he prompts.
She only glowers back at him, refusing to say another word.
Fine.
He's taking her to Coruscant anyway, and the Council will question her.
He snaps her in stun cuffs, contacting Rex to let him know that they're leaving. Once Ventress is secured on Coruscant, the battle here won't be a concern any longer.
**w**
Luke has been trying to think about anything but Maul ever since it happened, but Leia and Padme both talked to him about it. Anakin only hasn't because Luke has been avoiding him. He doesn't want to explain the details of what happened, of what he did. His father would be disappointed, even if he'd never show it. And most of all, Luke does not want that.
But Leia's right that he needs to talk to their grandfather about what happened, because he understands why Palpatine told him to, but it was still... wrong. And it really isn't something he can just ignore. He doesn't want to talk to him either, though. Luke doesn't... know how to address it. It's not like he has anyone to ask about it, either.
Probably, he would've continued ignoring it if Luke hadn't felt a strange urgency in the Force. Something is wrong, and something's happening now. Something's happening near where his grandfather is, and Luke goes to find him immediately. After what happened to Coruscant, after they could've lost him, he can't help being jittery.
The feeling of wrongness is creeping up and down his spine, edging deeply into his bones. Something's about to change, and he needs to talk to Palpatine again. Needs to make sure he's alright, even if that doesn't make sense, because they're supposed to be safe on Coruscant, and why wouldn't he be?
Something is wrong, something is happening, something...
The walk through the Senate building feels endless. It's always long, but Luke can't remember the last time it felt quite like this. Probably, he'd feel better if Anakin was still here on-planet, but he's not.
Luke wanted to stay here with Leia, and he had the feeling he'd be needed here. That feeling is back again, now.
The feeling that something's off only grows stronger as he approaches Palpatine's office. The sun is setting, and something about the dim lighting is only putting him more on edge for some reason.
And then he hears the sound of clashing lightsabers. Inside the office.
What?!
Luke darts forwards instinctively, panic rapidly building in his chest. Something is very terribly wrong. The doors open when he approaches them, but he freezes at the sight in front of him.
On the far side of the room, there's several Jedi – Luminara and several others he doesn't recognize – fighting... Palpatine? And he's defending himself with a red lightsaber.
He's... using a lightsaber.
And it's red, the same way Maul and Ventress's are, and that doesn't make any sense. What's happening?! What –
For an agonizingly long second, maybe many seconds, Luke just stands there frozen, staring. Why are they fighting? Why are the Jedi – Council members – attacking the Chancellor?
And then, he remembers with growing dread what Anakin told him before leaving for Utapau, that Palpatine suspects the Jedi are going to do something against him, and that's exactly what's happening right now.
Nor does it make any sense how Palpatine could be using a lightsaber in the first place, because he's not a Force user. Right?
Luminara nearly takes Palpatine's head off, in the moment he pauses to glance at Luke. They're – they're going to kill him, his grandfather.
"What are you doing?!" Luke demands, jolting forwards, finally finding his voice. He has no idea what's happening, but he's going to get answers now.
"He's a Sith!" she calls back, "Help us stop him."
What?
He's – Yes, it was clear enough with how he's using a red lightsaber and Luke can feel the Dark Side on him, but it's different outright hearing it. And it doesn't make sense. Why wouldn't he have told them any of this... years ago? He hid this from them for years. Considering how the Jedi would've reacted – are reacting right now – he gets it, but that doesn't stop the sharp sting of betrayal flooding him. All these years, his grandfather knew the Force and never told them. Maybe not that he even could have.
And the Sith are... evil. Or so the Jedi have always taught, but Luke never understood how everybody of a certain belief could be that. He'd started to accept it during the war, constantly confronted by Maul and Ventress, but this is his grandfather who's never been anything but kind to him.
And the Jedi are trying to kill him. They aren't even acting like they're here to arrest him. They're going for the kill.
But suddenly, as he still stands frozen, the ramifications of all this sinking in, he remembers something from a lifetime ago, when he was... probably five.
"He said we aren't s'posed to go down there," Leia chides, as Luke hovers near the doorway to a hall in Palpatine's apartment that yes, they were specifically told not to go down. They haven't been here much, and Luke really wants to explore. Especially the places that he's told not to go to.
"But no one's gonna know!"
"How do you know? He might come back."
"You watch and yell for me! I'll tell you what I find."
Leia wavers. "What if he went down there?"
"I don't think so," Luke insists, even if he actually has no idea.
"Be quick," she hisses finally.
"Yes!" he squeals gleefully, and darts away down the hall. In part, it's just that it feels there's something... calling to him. Catching his attention in the Force, at least – that's what his father says these strange feelings he gets sometimes are.
He starts tiptoeing when he finally reaches the end, approaching the room where the strange feeling is coming from. It's locked, but he knows how to do this. Closing his eyes, he focuses as hard as he can on the lock, and after several seconds, the lock clicks open.
The door slides open, and Luke tiptoes inside. There's a pyramidal shaped, glowing, red object in the corner, alongside several other strange... things that he can't even identify. And Palpatine is sitting in the middle of them.
He looks up sharply when Luke enters, immediately standing.
"I... hi?" he squeaks sheepishly, waving. So much for not getting caught.
"What are you doing back here?" he demands, and he... does not sound very happy.
Oops? "Nothing?"
"Come," he orders, motioning for him to follow, the door clicking closed behind them when they step out.
"What're those?" Luke can't help asking, even if whatever it was he probably shouldn't have seen in the first place.
"I collect ancient artifacts sometimes," Palpatine tells him, leading him back to the living room.
"Why do they feel so weird?" Like dark and scary in a way he doesn't really understand.
"Weird?" he echoes, dubiously.
"I dunno. Just... scary?"
"I don't know how you... sense things," he replies, slowly, "But since some are from long ago, it's possible that the remnants of the death of the civilizations they are from still lingers on them."
Oh. That's creepy. "Oh," he squeaks, eyes wide.
"And they're dangerous," Palpatine adds, "There's a reason I told you not to go wandering around."
"Sorry?" he offers.
"Just... don't do it again," he tells him, and Luke reaches up, snatching his hand, the getting-in-trouble crisis averted.
"Can you show me them sometime?" he can't help asking, anyway.
"Perhaps, eventually," Palpatine muses, an oddly thoughtful expression on his face. Adults tend to look like that when they're thinking about adult-things though, so Luke doesn't ponder what it is.
But now, now he thinks he actually knows just what he saw. Those – those were Sith artifacts, weren't they? Nothing else could explain why they felt so Dark in the Force. All that time, he never guessed, because he never had a reason to wonder, but now? Now, it makes sense.
"Stop!" Luke yells, drawing his lightsaber and darting forwards, blocking Luminara's blow.
All the Jedi look shocked and angry at once. "What are you doing?" she demands.
"He's the Chancellor! You can't just attack him!" That's treason, too, and totally senseless because Palpatine being a Sith doesn't inherently change anything about him. It doesn't mean he betrayed them, just because he concealed some of his beliefs.
And if he was really the Sith they were looking for – Luke can't believe that – why would he have had Maul killed?
"He's the one behind the war. He's becoming a dictator," she snaps.
"Then take it to the Senate!" he shouts, blocking her blow again when tries to move forwards.
He's – he's going to have to fight them, because they aren't standing down. The other Jedi jump at Palpatine again, and Luke tries to fend off Luminara. He doesn't want to fight her, but he's quickly realizing that she's... not holding back at all. He's in her way and now she's trying to put him down as a threat, too. He doesn't know if she actually intends to kill him, but she's still using lethal force.
What – what are the Jedi doing?! How are they becoming this?! Anakin and Palpatine were right, weren't they?
His anger is rising as he throws everything he can into fending off the Jedi Master. He can't believe they've really fallen this far.
Palpatine stabs one of the others when they nearly take off his head again. He just killed a Jedi. And it was entirely in self-defense, but it still makes this feel real. The Jedi really are committing treason, and the ones here have to be stopped, no matter the cost. Not that they're even giving them a choice in that regard.
Especially not when Luminara throws Luke across the room, and then lashes out at Palpatine, nearly throwing him out the window. His blade slashes through the glass he lands on the floor, showering the room in sparks. She Force-jumps over, kicking his lightsaber out the window, leveling her blade in front of him.
Luke's heart jumps to his throat, and he starts forwards, but she's already so close,and she could kill him if she wanted to. And she does. He's certain of it. He can see her fury, that desire for vengeance in her eyes that Jedi shouldn't even have. Whenever he's seen her, she's always been so cold and aloof, so where is this sudden emotion even coming from?
"Your rule is over, Sith," she says, warningly.
"No," Palpatine retorts, unleashing a blast of lightning on her. Luke just gapes at him for a few moments, but Lumianra is deflecting the lightning away back at him, and that – It's starting to burn him.
"Stop it!" Luke yells, jolting forwards though he has no idea what to do, "How is this the Jedi way? You're committing treason."
"He's the one who committed treason."
"You have no proof of that!" he shouts, outraged.
"That he's a Sith is enough."
Palpatine momentarily lets up his lightning, breathing hard. He's not burned badly yet, but –
"I'm ending this. You have to understand it's for the greater good," she replies, and swings downwards.
She's about to kill him. His grandfather, and right in front of him with no remorse whatsoever. And completely against everything the Jedi ever stood for, because he's defenseless. All reasoning abandons him, rage unlike he's ever felt before flooding him, and he lunges forwards, slashing at her. She tries to block him, and he twists sideways, plunging the blade through her side without even thinking.
Luminara staggers back, collapsing.
Luke steps back, breathing hard, heart suddenly pounding.
He just –
He killed a Jedi, not entirely even in a fight. All the Jedi here are dead, one of them because of him.
And they also came here to kill his grandfather, simply because of his different views. He's furious,even if he can't shake the guilt twisting inside of him, because this is the Order that he's always respected on some level since Anakin is a part of it, even if he's held so much resentment for them for years. But even his father was getting suspicious of them. And now, they've shown what they're really becoming, especially after what Luminara was about to do. They have to know how far this corruption goes.
Palpatine climbs to his feet slowly, turning to him. His eyes are yellow and he's radiating a level of darkness Luke's never felt on him before, like his true Force presence was just unveiled.
He – he really is a Sith, and Luke still doesn't know how to feel about that. Or... any of this.
"You're a Sith," Luke blurts, staring at him.
"I am," Palpatine replies. He sounds the same as always, so Luke doesn't know why something about his voice almost seems more... ominous. "And I'm sure you can see why I was unable to tell anyone."
He nods, numbly. He can see why, even if it still stings that he's kept this hidden for years.
"I warned your father of this. The Jedi are plotting to overthrow the Republic," Palpatine says, finally. "If the Council was involved, then this plot must be far further along than I thought. I believe your father might be one of the only Jedi with no knowledge of it."
Luke swallows, hard. All the Jedi knowing seems like a terrible way to keep a secret, but he wouldn't know. And the Jedi will generally always stand up for their Order and the Council, even if what they're doing is wrong. "What will we do?"
If this isn't stopped, they're going to kill Palpatine. They –
"This Rebellion must be put down at once," he replies, "The Jedi are relentless. If they are not all destroyed, it will be civil war without end. They will kill any of their own who resist. And they will make a move against the Senate, killing or arresting any Senators who won't bend to their rule."
Does that mean Anakin and Padme are in danger from this? Because his father would never stand for it, and Padme might support the Jedi but if they forcibly took control of the Republic, she never would.
"I can't believe Obi-Wan would do this," Luke objects. Ahsoka he doubts knows at all, but if there's a plot this deep, how could the Grandmaster not?
"I understand that you and Anakin are attached to him," he replies, a gentle note to his voice as always, "But at the end of the day, Kenobi is a Jedi. He will put the Order first and if, for some reason, the Council deemed this appropriate action to take, he would lead them in it. Remember what I've told you about how he treated Anakin when he was a padawan. He will always put the Order first."
Luke knows that, as much as it angers him, especially right now. And maybe this is finally the chance his father will have to be free from the Order. But if something happened to Obi-Wan or Ahsoka, Anakin would not take that well. Luke can't imagine it either, no matter how much the law says that... He knows too well what the law says about those committing treason. "I know, but I..."
"Those Jedi who do not want to participate will be given a chance to surrender," Palpatine replies, "But right now, we must move swiftly."
"What now?" he asks. His emotions are too much of a mess to sort out anything right now.
"With your father not here, there are no other Jedi I can trust. I need you to take the clones to the Temple – the 501st isn't here, so you will have to lead the Coruscant Guard."
"Me?" he echoes, incredulously. He'd come here to talk about how Palpatine had him kill Maul, and now he wants him to... kill the Jedi.
Even if Luke can entirely understand why. They're traitors. They betrayed everything they've stood for, and for years, they've essentially kept Anakin enslaved, even if he doesn't fully realize it himself. They asked for this, but that doesn't mean he wants to do it.
Even if there's a furious, dark part of him that wants them to hurt for what just happened. He doesn't know how many of them would be perfectly willing to do something like that again.
"This rebellion must be stopped, Luke," he replies firmly, "There is no other Jedi I can ask, and you know the Temple better than the clones will. Any Jedi who surrenders or is willing to stand with the Republic you may... leave alive. The rest must be destroyed."
They're... they're going to destroy the entire Jedi Order. Maybe they're all guilty and have this coming, but that doesn't mean he wants to do this. This is what Anakin was raised believing in. Luke can't imagine the whole Order just being gone. "What about the Jedi elsewhere?"
"Their betrayals will be dealt with," Palpatine responds dismissively, "Right now, I need you to focus on the Jedi here. Are you ready?"
It doesn't fully feel like he's being given a way out, and he can understand why even if he doesn't like it. Even if he doesn't entirely know he'd back out if he had the choice because he can't let the Jedi do this. Everyone in his family could be in danger because of them, and of course the Republic. And Luke can't let that happen. He can't. "Yes," he replies, with far more resolve than he truly feels.
Really, he's come too far to turn around.
"Then you must do what needs to be done," Palpatine replies, firmly.
Luke knows what that means, even if he doesn't want to think about it. The Jedi may have had this coming, but that doesn't mean he wants to do it. He wishes Anakin were here, so he could ask him or... something, but he can't. And for all he knows, the Jedi could turn on Anakin if he does what they don't like.
So now, all he can do is what needs to be done.
He feels numb, detached almost, as he leaves the office, to collect the clones and head for the Temple. It still feels like this is the end of everything he's ever known.
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