Title: Bringing Balance
Author: Rachael B
Rating: R, soon to be NC-17 though
Pairing: Obi/Ani
Warning: Spoilers for ROTS
Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Wars characters. They belong to
George Lucas. I'm just borrowing them for my own twisted mind, and
I'll give them right back.
Summary: Anakin brings balance to the Force.
PART ONE
Anakin couldn't believe his ears. Chancellor Palpatine had just admitted that he was a Sith Lord. "What?" Palpatine sighed a heavy sigh.
"The Jedi must be exterminated. I can feel them plotting against me, Anakin."
"I don't believe you," Anakin said. "Besides, exterminating the Jedi race means the Younglings, and they're innocent."
"They are Jedi, my son."
"Don't call me that," Anakin snapped.
"All the Jedi, including your friend, Obi-Wan, is now an enemy of the Republic." Anakin closed his eyes as he sat down. He thought of his former master, now lover, and their last words to each other before Obi-Wan left for Utapau.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Remember, Anakin, I love you," Obi-Wan said with a smile. A small smile graced the younger Jedi's face.
"I love you, too, Obi-Wan." Obi-Wan looked around before giving Anakin a chaste kiss on the lips. He muttered another 'I love you', and hurried onto the clone's star ship. Anakin grabbed Commander Cody's arm as he passed by him. "Cody?"
"Yes, sir?" Cody asked.
"Keep an eye on him, like always," Anakin said. He watched Obi-Wan board the ship. "Keep him safe."
"When have I ever let you down, sir?" Cody asked with a smile. "And don't worry, I won't tell him." Cody walked onto the ship to catch up with his general.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Anakin?" Anakin jerked his head up to see Palpatine still there in front of him. "So, will you join me?"
"No." Palpatine's face dropped. "There's something you should know, Chancellor. Senator Amidala and I are not married as your sources tell you. I am in an intimate relationship with Obi-Wan, and I refuse to turn to the Dark Side to keep him safe," Anakin said, "Besides, Commander Cody is looking after him on Utapau."
"Oh, dear," Palpatine said, "I'm afraid I've made a terrible mistake."
"What?" Anakin asked putting his hand on his lightsaber.
"The clone troops have a certain order programmed into their training," Palpatine said. "Order '66'. I have given Commander Cody that order."
"What is he going to do?"
"Kill his Jedi general." Palpatine rarely had time to act when Anakin's blue blade of his lightsaber came to his throat.
"Call it off," Anakin said.
"It's too late, Anakin," Palpatine said, "Any minute, Cody will be transmitting that he has Kenobi's body." The blue blade got closer.
"Call. It. Off."
"No," Palpatine said, "And I must give the order to the others. The Jedi are going to revolt, and the Republic will cease to exist."
"The Jedi serve the Republic, Chancellor. The people."
"What are you going to do?"
"Something I should've done a long time ago." Anakin reached into his pouch, and pulled out his comlink. "Master Windu, are you there?"
"I'm here, Anakin," Master Windu's voice came loud and clear. "What's wrong?"
"The Chancellor's been corrupted by the Dark Side. He's the Sith Lord we've been looking for."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, come to his chambers. I have him in custody."
"I'm on my way." Anakin clicked off his comlink, and put it back in it's pouch.
"As soon as Master Windu gets here, I am going to help Obi-Wan."
"You can't save him, Anakin."
"Why not?"
"The clones will only listen to me," Palpatine said, "Only when I'm dead will they listen to you."
"I'm not about to kill you out of anger, Chancellor."
"Then perhaps it is time to show you my true powers." In a quick lighting move, Palpatine had his lightsaber in his hand, causing Anakin to pull back. "It's time to test the power of the Chosen One against the power of the Sith." Palpatine attacked, Anakin block the blow, defending himself. Anakin now realized that in order to survive the Sith Lord, was to defeat him, and perhaps bring balance to the Force. The Sith attacked ruthlessly, using his aggressive feelings. Anakin kept a clear mind as he fought the Chancellor, blocking and attacking when he could. He soon found a weakness in the Sith's attacks.
Palpatine drew back his lightsaber, letting out an angry shout, and swung it down. Anakin easily blocked the attack, and pushed back the Chancellor. He spun around, and slashed the Sith across the stomach. Palpatine fell to the floor, gasping in pain. Anakin turned off his lightsaber, and sat down on the floor. He looked at his left arm to notice that Palpatine had gotten a piece of him. He didn't even feel it. He closed his eyes feeling the Force flowing around him. It felt as though it was coming into balance, like the prophecy had said. His thoughts went to Obi-Wan, and his eyes snapped open. "Obi-Wan." He jumped off the floor, and ran out of the chambers right past a surprised Mace Windu.
"Anakin! Where are you going?"
"I have to help Obi-Wan! He's in danger!" Anakin shouted as he made his way passed the clone troopers that Mace had brought with him.
"But the Chancellor!" Mace shouted, but Anakin was already at the platform where R2 waited with his Jedi star fighter.
"Artoo, get her ready!" Anakin shouted. He jumped into the ship, strapping himself in as R2 got the ship off the ground. The hatch closed sealing Anakin in, and he guided the ship off the planet to one of the hyperdrive rings orbiting the planet. "Set a course for Utapau, Artoo. We're going to help Obi-Wan."
Back on Corusant, Mace sent clone troopers into the Chancellor's quarters. One came back out with the news. "The Chancellor is dead, sir." The clone handed Mace a lightsaber. "He had this in his hand." Mace took the lightsaber, and ignited it seeing the blade glow red.
"So, the Chancellor was controlling this war from the very beginning."
"Sir?"
"Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith Lord that we were looking for." He sighed deeply. "Get me contact with Master Yoda."
"Right away, sir."
On Utapau ..................
Commander Cody was leading a search for Obi-Wan's body when he got a call about a Jedi star fighter just coming out of orbit. He halted the search for Obi-Wan, and went to the platform to greet the new arriving Jedi. He saw Anakin Skywalker step out of his fighter, along with his droid.
"Sir, shall I kill him?" one clone asked getting his gun ready.
"No, let me deal with him," Cody said. Cody walked up to Anakin, taking off his helmet. "General Skywalker, this is an unexpected surprise."
"Commander, the Chancellor is dead."
"What?"
"You are currently carrying out his last order, yes?"
"Order '66', sir."
"Disregard it," Anakin said. There was a change in the clone's appearance, and the Cody that Anakin knew came back.
"Sir, we have lost contact with General Kenobi," he said. "I tried to keep an eye on him, but ....." Anakin held up a hand to silence the clone.
"It's all right, Cody," he said, "I'm going to search for General Kenobi. You stay here, and take care of the remaining droids."
"Yes, sir."
"When did you last see your general?"
"He and his boga fell down a ravine. We searched the water grotto, but we came up empty." Anakin nodded.
"Artoo, stay with the ship," he said. He took off his cloak, and headed down the ravine.
END OF PART ONE