The Unseen

Chapter 19 - Flight

Anakin waits for an answer for no more than thirty seconds before his limited patience evaporates. Reaching out with the Force, he throws the brunt force of his power against Barriss's mental shields, pushing his way through. She struggles desperately, trying to keep him out, but she is no match for his strength. Anakin can sense Obi-Wan's discomfort in the background, though it's something he brushes aside, focusing single-mindedly on his current task. He needs to know the truth. It's not as though he could leave Barriss alive anyways.

Digging into her mind, Anakin seeks out the most recent memories, searching for clues as to why she's here. She tries to keep him away from the answers he's seeking, but he still manages to pry pieces of the memory from her. Vaguely, he hears more than sees Sidious telling her to bring him Leia since he suspects she is Force sensitive. And how could the Emperor know that? It's not as though Bail would be careless. Why would he want Leia? As Anakin's replacement?

He pulls out of her mind, snapping her neck with but a thought. He cannot, under any circumstances, allow her to contact Sidious, not with his children's lives in serious danger. Exhaling, he lets the Dark Side slip between his fingers, its allure of power meaningless to him right now.

Obi-Wan is standing there patiently, glancing between Anakin and the dead body at his feet. "Well?" he says finally, obviously choosing to ignore what Anakin did to Barriss.

"She came for Leia," Anakin explains, feeling the desperation and panic clawing at him. "The Emperor thinks she's Force sensitive, and he wanted her."

Obi-Wan's eyes widen slightly in surprise, concern flickering across his face. "We have to tell Bail immediately," he decides, walking over to Anakin and, after a moment of hesitation, putting his hand on the other's shoulder. "It's not safe for Leia – or Luke – to remain here any longer. Sidious cannot become more suspicious that Bail is in anyway involved in rebel activity."

"I know," murmurs Anakin, feeling inexplicably grateful for the grounding that Obi-Wan is giving him. For the first time since he left Mustafar, he feels... different, better somehow. He feels as though he finally has found a purpose, something he can do with his life. He does trust Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, true, but he's hesitant to trust them entirely with protecting his children if he's not there to help.

"Do you have a plan?" queries Anakin as they walk quickly back to the palace.

"Somewhat," Obi-Wan admits, casting him a sideways look. "We'll have to leave, preferably tonight, and travel to planets in the Outer Rim where it's safe. We're not yet ready to take on Sidious, so protecting the twins is our top priority."

Anakin hums quietly but doesn't answer as he weighs all their options. He knows that not much will have changed in the Empire since he left – except that the rebel factions are getting bolder with his disappearance – so he can probably trust his memory to help them decide what to do.

When they arrive inside, immediately going towards the hall where the twins are staying, Luke and Leia are both awake, all but clinging to Ahsoka. The second they see him, they run towards him, hugging him desperately. Anakin can feel their fear and uncertainty, probably due not only to the attack, but also because they sensed him using the Dark Side. He feels a pang of regret for frightening them.

While he holds his children, an arm wrapped around both of them, Obi-Wan tells Ahsoka what happened. He's still talking when Bail and Breha hurry into the hall, worry etched onto their faces as they take in the scene. Anakin presumes they must have been informed by one of the guards who saw the duel.

"What happened?" Bail demands, voice rushed.

Obi-Wan turns to him as Leia rushes to fling her arms around Breha. Anakin can't help but feel a sharp stabbing pain. It's his fault that Padme isn't here to raise their children, and the familiar aching, loss fills him. When Obi-Wan finishes explaining, everyone looks grave.