Angel of Death

Chapter 2 - War

Author's Note: Updates have been moved to every Wednesday for the remaining four chapters of this fic. :)

~ Amina Gila

A bounty hunter got in the Senate, past the security. Somehow. Anakin doesn't have any answers to the many questions swirling through his mind, doesn't have time to think about those questions. His entire focus is on Cad Bane who is standing opposite him, one arm wrapped around Senator Riyo Chuchi, the other arm holding a blaster up to her head.

The entire room seems to be collectively holding its breath. They're in Padme's office; Anakin had come to visit her, and she was meeting Riyo at the same time. He had been readily invited inside, and the conversation had quickly drifted from business to the Clone Wars to other matters. Anakin doesn't know Riyo that well, all things considered, but they are friends; she looks up to and admires him the way many people do. Her admiration, however, is different. When Riyo looks at him, she sees a friend, not a hero.

Anakin likes that about her. She's young, younger than Padme, and in many ways, she reminds him of Ahsoka. Riyo's golden eyes are filled with terror, and Anakin is filled with the fierce desire to protect her. No one even knows why Bane is here; he hasn't said anything about the purpose of his visit. Was he after Riyo or Padme? Is he after something else entirely? Anakin doesn't know. He doesn't have time to ask questions about it. One wrong move, and Riyo will be dead. She's Padme's friend. He can't let her die.

"Don't do it," Riyo says, voice shaking slightly. She's frozen, not even moving.

Anakin twitches, taking a half step forwards, fingers tightening on his ignited lightsaber.

"I was hired to take out the Nubian, but this will have to do," Bane sneers finally. Riyo's eyes widen as the implications sink in only a millisecond before Bane pulls the trigger.

The blaster shot echoes, seeming far louder than it should be as Riyo's life is snuffed out, her Force presence vanishing entirely. Her body falls limp to the floor, dead instantly. Padme makes a choked sound next to him as Bane activates the jetpacks in his boots, flying through the window and shattering it before Anakin can tackle or Force shove him. Anakin extinguishes his blade, scrambling to Riyo's side even though he knows it's too late.

There's nothing he can do. Not anymore. Padme sniffs next to him, her tears only starting now as the initial shock wanes. Anakin wraps an arm around her shoulders, offering silent support as he bows his head in grief.

(This never happened, insists the voice. But... it did. It did! This isn't the first time he's senselessly lost a friend, and it won't be the last either.)

***

An explosion shakes the ground, and Anakin instinctively ducks, even though the blast strikes some distance away. He dashes a few feet across the rocky, uneven ground, stopping to deflect blaster bolts back at the approaching droids. He's panting heavily, bleeding in a few places where he fell on the rocks or was hit by a stray blaster bolt. Sometimes, it feels like the battle here will never end.

Maybe they'll all die here. Anakin pushes the thought aside as soon as it surfaces, unwilling to let such morbidity destroy whatever morale he has left. Jesse. He has to get to Jesse. The clone trooper had been hit by a blaster bolt a minute or so ago, and Anakin can feel his lifeforce rapidly waning. Now, if only these droids would stop shooting for a moment so he can try to do whatever he can to keep his friend alive.

He hates losing his men. Each death is like a piece of him ripped away and lost forever. Anakin lunges forwards, slicing easily through the super battle droids in the front, using the Force to blast a bunch of them backwards before skidding over next to Jesse as another explosion rings out. He uses his own body as a shield, covering the fallen clone as debris rains down around them.