Chapter 17: Assassination Attempt
Note: I hope you like this chapter, I await your reviews that encourage me to continue writing for you.
Engel stayed with his twin brother Emperor Palpatine in the imperial palace. Unfortunately Engel also fell for Palpatine's trick. But this would not have been achieved if it were not for his great manipulation skills and clouding Engel's vision with the dark side of the force.
He was very kind and affectionate with me, he is my brother... even if he is a Sith Lord. He thought Engel with a smile as he got ready for the ceremony to introduce him.
The ceremony happened in the morning, people were in an uproar in the palace waiting for news from the Emperor.
The Emperor comes out to the balcony followed by his red guard escort. "Thank you all for coming… I have an announcement to make."
Engel entered the balcony, showing his face before all the holonet cameras in the galaxy.
Engel only responded with a friendly smile and waved. All the inhabitants of the galaxy on all the worlds of the empire, even on the worlds with support for the rebellion. They opened their mouths wide in great astonishment.
It is identical to his majesty... everyone began to murmur, wondering why he bore such a strong resemblance to the Emperor?
"He introduced you to Engel, he is my twin brother…" Palpatine announced to the entire audience.
Among the murmurs, many said various words. "They are both identical" "They are both truly extraordinary brothers" "They are twin brothers, it is fantastic."
However, now that they were back together, Engel loved his brother, and he knew that his brother had a "good heart" but sometimes, she got a little out of control with him. There were many things that united them but at the same time separated them, his brother often let his anger show and vent with him.
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Emperor Palpatine called Darth Vader into his office. "What are your orders master."
Sidious lowered the hood of his face that covered his facial features... for a moment Sidious's yellow eyes turned blue giving way to Palpatine's kind personality.
"Anakin my dear boy, please stand up, there is no need for you to bow before me," Palpatine said with a friendly smile.
At that moment Vader's eyes turned blue again. He reminds her of the days when they were once... friends. At first, after becoming Vader, a part of him had seen Palpatine...also lost in several years, because Sidious was very different.
"Is something wrong, Master?" Anakin asked confused.
"It's okay boy, it's so good to see you." Palpatine said sounding genuinely pleased. "I was very worried about you. Come closer, we have a lot to talk about."
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"Engel told me everything that happened between you, I already know everything Anakin... My brother doesn't like to hide things from me," Palpatine said with a loving smile.
Anakin didn't respond, this somehow felt very scary. "I'm glad you two have become closer, your grace."
Palpatine approached Anakin with a smile, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "You don't really love my brother, you confused him with me… What you thought you felt for him doesn't exist, it was just a mirage."
"Your Excellency, I do not deny all this affection that I still feel for you. But I cannot lie to you," Anakin said with sincere truth. "It is true that at first I confused them. Then little by little I became sincerely fond of Engel, I couldn't help it." .
Palpatine erased his smile for a serious and hurt look. "You don't know how strange it is that you and I could talk like that."
"Doesn't my relationship with Engel hurt him?" Anakin asked genuinely concerned.
Palpatine adopted a sad expression "Anakin, this hurts me… are you going to forget about me? Are you going to leave me aside for Engel? I'm going to lose your love..."
Anakin didn't know why he felt bad, after all the damage Sidious had done to him so far… he didn't know what game his master wanted to play. But I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "No, his excellence… he will always be a special person for me." Tell me what you want most so I can take it from you. Anakin remembered his teacher's words, he was afraid that because of him Sidious would kill Engel.
How unfortunate that you try to deceive me "I won't be more special than Engel, or am I wrong?" Palpatine asked.
Anakin stayed silent, he had nothing to say because he knew this was true, a part of him felt bad for hurting Palpatine, he didn't deserve it after everything he did for him in the past.
"It doesn't matter Anakin… I like that you are honest with me, it lessens my pain. I hurt you a lot, I wasn't completely honest with you in the past, I just hope that one day you forgive me. But deep in my heart I still appreciate you since I met you on Naboo, when you lost everyone I was always there for you, I will always be by your side." You will always be mine, whispered the voice of his alter ego Sidious inside him. "But keep talking to me about Engel, I want to know everything about him, what did he do to make you love him?"
"Your Excellency, ask me whatever he wants, but not that, I don't want to hurt him again." Anakin said in a soft voice.
"My jealousy was immature Anakin, and I apologize for it. But I want to know my brother more in depth, what is his personality and the essence of him?"
"Engel is happy... very smiling, he never stops smiling and is full of energy. He always liked to help others," Anakin said with a smile as he remembered those days in Engel's world with the villagers.
"Yes, I'm not surprised that he became a Jedi, with the training of Master Yoda," Palpatine said with a grimace of annoyance well hidden in his kind features.
"He has a formidable talent in the use of the light side force," Anakin admitted with a cheerful smile. "Although his training was very short, he is very wonderful," Anakin said, remembering how he fought with Engel on Dagobah. He was formidable in combat with lightsabers. "Engel always stole the smiles of the villagers, he manages to capture everyone's attention. He is very kind to others and steals everyone's affection with his great personality... he is unique." Anakin admitted with a smile remembering those times when he lived in the village with Engel.
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"What do you want?" Palpatine asked as he saw Engel entering the throne room.
"I need to talk to you," Engel asked in a soft voice.
"We can leave it for tomorrow, I'm very busy right now."
"It's about Anakin, I know you two talked." Engel admitted.
"I'm glad that he has recovered his memory… you know how much I appreciate him." On the other hand, I want to see him suffer for making me go through all this. "Without mercy he took me out of his life! "I don't deserve it!" Palpatine said pretending to be hurt.
It's all my fault... Engel thought feeling guilty. "Brother, I understand you…. It hurts me a lot to see you suffer like this" Engel gently caressed Palpatine's cheek "But you are not alone little brother, you know you can count on me for everything" Engel said with a soft smile.
Palpatine held back the beam of energy that threatened to come out of his fingers and removed Engel's hand from his cheek. "There is nothing you can do… If only Anakin had the courage to tell me the truth to my face, but he is a coward."
"Well, if he is going to speak the truth to me, I am going to ask him for an explanation." Engel said seriously.
"What are you talking about?" Palpatine asked intrigued.
"I'm going to talk to Anakin… he's going to be honest with me."
"He's going to be honest with you..." Palpatine thought and smiled evilly to himself. "Little brother, if you really want to help me, you're going to have to do things the way I tell you."
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The next day, Mas Amedda was on his way to Engel's quarters to take him to the medical center. Fulfilling his majesty's orders to obtain blood samples from him for cloning experiments.
On the way he met Engel without escort, about to claim his daring. But Amedda stopped short... letting Engel pass towards the hangar saying that he had the Emperor's permission to visit Darth Vader on Mustafar.
With a confused look and scared by the shock of seeing Engel's expression, she decided to run to Engel's chambers.
"My God, but how is this possible!" Mas Amedda said, remembering Engel's threatening and contempt-filled look when he saw him.
But at that moment Engel comes out fully dressed seeing the Grand Vizier in his room.
"Engel…" Amedda whispered in confusion.
"Grand Vizier, have a good morning," Engel said respectfully.
"It wasn't you, it was his brother," said Mas Amedda, putting the pieces together.
"You saw him leave, didn't you?" Engel asked with a serious face.
"Yes, I just saw him coming out, but how could I not notice!" Mas Amedda said when he saw that he had been deceived.
"Why Palpatine had surgery to repair his scars and deformations on his face... Now we are identical, plus I helped him dress like me."
"But why did they do that?"
"Why Palpatine needed to impersonate me," Engel said in a soft voice. "To discover the answers to everything that torments him. "Palpatine is going to talk to Anakin."
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Vader waited in the hangar of his castle and Palpatine, disguised as Engel, descended the ramp when the ship landed.
"Engel, I'm glad to see you again and that you gave me the opportunity to talk," Anakin said with relief.
Palpatine did not respond, he was just holding back his laughter on his lips, Vader had not realized... Engel was not in front of Anakin, Emperor Palpatine was.
"Are you not going to say anything?" Anakin asked.
"Excuse me…" Palpatine said, trying to sound like Engel.
Entering the castle, Vader takes Palpatine to his living room to speak more calmly and calmly.
"Engel, I know you have many doubts," Anakin said. "You must wonder why your brother and I are very distant today… but everything has a very good explanation"
"That's why I'm here Anakin, to listen to everything you have to tell me." Palpatine said in a soft voice.
"You know, I thought your brother and I were friends, before I found out what he was, who he was. He was always there for me when he was young. He admired him. He was almost… well, like a father to me." said Anakin, remembering with nostalgia the best times of the past.
Palpatine nodded without speaking. The moments had been almost filial, yes, strangely powerful even at the beginning. The connection prompted him to maintain the relationship as he foresaw the most powerful apprentice yet, a student finally worthy of the master in those times.
"I thought he felt the same way about me," Anakin confessed with a keen sense of sadness deep down. "When I discovered his true identity, in those moments I asked myself, am I just a tool in one of his games? Am I something else? Did you lie to me all these years?" His voice cracked with the last damning word. "Then your brother began to show his true face…"
But at one point, Palpatine cared. And now, if he were completely honest, he cared again.
"He...he only wanted me for my power." Anakin can't say why the words hurt so much. "That's why Sidious helped me all those years when I simply needed someone because I wanted to convert! He used me, manipulated me, like everyone else."
"But he gave you what no one else would," he hisses, "he gave you constant, unwavering support when you didn't have it." The words coming out of Palpatine are much deeper than he wants to think, but it's...he just did it for himself.
"Only...for his own benefit," Anakin says breathily. "He betrayed me. He is a Sith. "He's…he's evil."
"Maybe, he always saw that you were different, Anakin. "That you were destined for more."
"He never cared," he accuses, and he feels like that knowledge is crushing him. It's strangling him, tearing him apart and leaving nothing behind. "The Sith don't care about anyone. "They don't care about anyone but themselves."
"I think maybe Palpatine was the only person who cared about you, he saved your life when you were about to die on Mustafar. Do you remember that?" Palpatine asked, hoping to still have control over his wayward apprentice.
"Stop!" Anakin finally shouts, something inside him breaking. "He's the one who betrayed me. He is a Sith Lord. He started the war, he destroyed everything I knew and worked for!"
And now you are going to blame me… "Maybe he only did what was necessary. The Republic was corrupt, it had its flaws and you know it. My brother, the Emperor gave the galaxy the order and stability he needed."
Anakin couldn't believe what Engel was saying, he lived his entire life on a world isolated from the rest of the galaxy. How could he be talking about the Republic and the Empire if he didn't even know such things outside of his home… maybe Palpatine is manipulating him like he once did with him "He is… harming the galaxy, instead of bringing order as he promised." .
"Tell me, Anakin," Palpatine continued, ignoring the accusation, turning to him. ''that you would have remained loyal to these... friends You can't really call them your family. After the way they treated you and despised you."
"Sidious didn't treat me any differently," Anakin argues, narrowing his eyes.
"When did he hurt you?" Palpatine asked feigning naivety.
"He was never a kind teacher... he hurts me," Anakin said with a feeling of relief.
"You're not happy with him…" he states with a soft voice, that statement was more than obvious and he knew it.
"He is often harsh…". Anakin answered honestly.
Just as he suspected, he was waiting for that answer, from his lips. "I'm not going to touch on that topic anymore... but at least help me understand what is happening with you and my brother," Palpatine said, wanting to get out of Anakin everything he felt. by Engel "You two had a friendship full of trust, admiration, love and affection… you two were like father and son. "Don't you have feelings for Palpatine anymore?"
"I don't want to hurt him after everything he did for me in the past. "It would be very ungrateful of me." Anakin paused and continued with his words, "Engel, you taught me that it is best to forget the hurts of the past and move forward. Let your brother know that despite all the harm he did to me, I do not hold any grudges against him, I forgave him for all the deception and suffering he put me through... the only thing I need is for him to give me back my freedom so that I can return with my family"
No Anakin... You are mine and you always will be, the only way you can get rid of me will be on the day you die. Palpatine thought with icy hatred bubbling inside of him, after everything he did for him.
"The friendship I had with Palpatine ended several years ago. But with you Engel… In the few months that I knew you, our friendship became very deep, full of love and affection… with you I feel comfortable."
I am Palpatine not Engel…. I'm going to charge you for every humiliation you're putting me through. Replacing me with my brother... I'm going to make you regret what you've done. Palpatine thought with hatred and contempt.
Anakin at that moment felt something strange about Engel, his presence in the force was full of anger... this did not make sense, because it is quite difficult for Engel to get angry. "Engel, are you okay?" Anakin asked in confusion.
"No I'm not! Coming to talk to you was a mistake… I didn't like what I discovered at all." Palpatine said leaving the room but is held back by Anakin's mechanical hand that held his arm.
"Engel, I don't understand why you're reacting this way!" Anakin said confused and worried.
You are so afraid of me, not to show me your face... I wasted years with you, but now I see that no matter how much power you have, you will always be weak. I am very disappointed in you "Because he is my brother, he hurts you are doing him… I feel it personally. You don't know how much he is suffering from your contempt and he abandoned him."
"Forgive me Engel, I didn't mean to hurt you," Anakin said trying to comfort him.
You are a cynic who is just playing with both of us… "Don't come near me!" Palpatine said with sharp pain.
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When Palpatine returned to his private chambers, he had realized that nightfall had arrived. Inside Palpatine, Sidious became enraged. How dare he!
"Always Engel! I fucking hate you! I hate your smile and your cheerful personality! Your mere presence makes me sick!" Sidious said letting out all the irritation and hatred of him that he kept against Engel for the last four weeks. "Now that you have reappeared in my life, you have stolen Anakin's love and affection from me! You're not going to damn stop are you?! Until you steal everything from me!"
Anakin Skywalker had fought his way into the Sith Lord's black heart until even Sidious looked at him with dark fondness. No... Anakin is mine and no one else's, I won't let anyone else have him. Nobody takes away what is mine! I always get my way Engel and this time he will be no exception.
"You're not going to steal Anakin's affection from me! You're not going to take it away from me, idiot! You should have died in slavery! You should be dead!" Kill him. Kill him now. His mind etched the thought into his brain, and perhaps in that moment he could have pierced the Force and expelled her from existence, so great was his anger, but the king of beasts had risen in his chest, threatening to tear him apart. with his hands and Sidious wanted nothing more than to dismember him personally. He wanted to look into his face as he ripped out his beating heart. I'm not going to lose Anakin for a cheap copy of myself.
"Palpatine, what's wrong, do you have a little brother?" Engel said, entering his chambers, concerned by the obvious outburst of fury that Palpatine conveyed to him.
As Engel approached Palpatine to touch his shoulder and comfort him, he found himself staring into the Sith Lord's intensely yellow eyes, glowing with unsettling anger inches from his own. "What are you doing?" Palpatine's voice was almost a growl.
"Palpatine, please don't be angry with me… I can feel your hatred and contempt for me," Engel asked sadly.
How dare you read my thoughts!? Invade my mind! Palpatine thought angrily, but now that he saw Engel in such a depressing state, he smiled maliciously. "I'm only telling you one thing, Engel, if I'm suffering like this... it's because you're the only one responsible."
"No, that's not true…" Engel said softly, wiping away his tears.
"It's the truth!" Palpatine said, grabbing Engel by the arms tightly, "You promised you would never hurt me, you are a hypocrite! "You betrayed me in the worst way."
"Palpatine please calm down, you are the only one to blame here, if Anakin left your side it was because of your lies... why did you do it?" Engel asked in a soft voice trying to understand.
"I don't have to give you explanations! You tried to destroy me!" Palpatine said, releasing all his hatred and contempt before Engel.
"No! No... I only now realize how cruelly you have been playing with us. "You are the liar," Engel said with pain. "You told me that you also loved Anakin and wanted the best for him. It breaks my heart to know that I was wrong! That you are the one who has betrayed me, your own brother!" Engel shed a few tears.
"Shut up now! Shut up, you're a fucking traitor! Get out my way! Why am I able to…" But Palpatine is interrupted by Engel.
"Capable of what? To kill me!" Engel said, annoyed, feeling Palpatine's hand on his cheek, a blow on his face... recoiling in surprise and fear... You hit me. Engel thought sadly, he couldn't see his little brother in those sickly eyes.
They stared at each other until the yellow disappeared leaving an icy blue void in its place. "Engel… forgive me, I apologize. I swear I didn't mean to hurt you! "I don't know what happened to me... By delving into the Dark Side, the user is exposed to more aggressive emotions."
"It's okay… forgave you, as always. But don't abuse the love I have for you, one day I may get tired." Engel said as he wiped away her tears.
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Engel was en route to Coruscant Medical Center for his medical checkup. He was very strange despite his age Engel was not sick and did not feel any pain. Which led him to ask why all these blood samples...
"Excuse me, Miss, what all these medical tests are for, if you may know," Engel said curiously.
"Sorry sir, that information is classified…"
Engel tried to read his mind using the force but failed, the Jedi could not read strong minds. The doctor at that moment noticed the purple tone on Engel's cheek and curiously asked, "Why is his cheek purple?" What happened?"
"It's nothing, miss, it was an accident, I hit the door frame…" Engel said nervously.
The doctor didn't believe him at all, he had other orders to follow anyway. Pouring a special liquid into a syringe, she injected Engel into her shoulder.
"Ah..! "This hurts," Engel said, complaining.
"Yes, it is painful… but it kills you in a short time," the doctor whispered.
"What…?!" Engel asked horrified as he fell to the ground in agony.
"If you are dying… I'm sorry"
Engel could not resist, remaining unconscious on the ground. Anakin... Engel said through the force.
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"Your eminence, your brother has already been transferred to the palace medical center, he is very serious. We don't know if he will survive the night," reported Mas Amedda.
"Very well, great Vizier… is there no witness who can bring this incident to me?"
"No sir, his orders were carried out... without witnesses"
"Right now they are treating Engel, so that he can be cured of the virus that was injected into his body," reported Sly Moore.
"I at no time ordered any antidote to save your life, Administrator Moore..." Palpatine said with an evil smile, "Ha Ha Ha Ha."
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In his castle on Mustafar and the secret base of the rebellion. Luke and Anakin could feel it in the force.
Engel, he was in danger… his presence in the force was very weak.
Engel, I have to leave for Coruscant. Anakin thought worriedly.
Engel… we have to get him out of that place. Luke thought, worried about Engel, what could the Emperor have done to him?