Candlelight

Chapter 12 - The Death Star

"What are you here for?" Maul asks, standing across from Anakin in the shadows.

"Information, if you can provide it." They have nowhere else to go. He already tried mediating, to see if the Force would show him anything of where Ahsoka is, but everything was... elusive. The Dark Side is clouding it strongly, and it's not showing him any particular planet or anything. Unless that's because she's not on one particular planet. "Jedi have been... disappearing. Do you know anything of this?"

"Sidious has a deal with the crime organizations. I do not know the... details of it," he replies, "He wants to capture as many as he can."

That's – Anakin already knew that but hearing a confirmation is worse. And why does Sidious have a deal with the crime organizations to kidnap Jedi? That sounds... "Do you know of their whereabouts?"

"I do not." It feels like the truth; he can only hope the other Sith won't try to double-cross them, but he senses no deception in that regard. "But he is taking them to his new... battle station."

Anakin's blood runs icy cold. Battle station – "What?" he demands, because suddenly he has the very sinking feeling that he knows exactly what 'battle station' Maul is talking about. How did he never think of it before?! In his mind, he sees Alderaan exploding before his eyes, knowing he can do nothing but watch, trying to tell himself that this is for the greater good though he knew it would only make the Empire fall and crumble and shatter farther.

But how could the Death Star even be operational yet? It took many more years than this last time.

"It's larger than any ship I have seen. He... moves it around. It is unlikely you will ever find it," Maul adds.

No, no – This is worse than he ever considered. Sidious is hiding on the future Death Star, and he's kidnapping Jedi for Force knows what, and Ahsoka –

That's where she is, isn't it? How would he ever find her? It explains why the Force doesn't show him a planet when he tries meditating – because there is no planet to find. She's somewhere in space, and he has no way of tracking down where it might be. Not yet.

Not unless they can get someone on board to try something, and the likelihood of that is almost impossible. For a moment, he considers what if he... just turned himself over to Sidious as a way to get out Ahsoka and figure out what's really going on. But even as he considers it, he knows he can't.

Sidious would see through it; he'd suspect a trick, and he'd be ready. And it's already a dangerous enough risk that he might... Fall again. Even if Obi-Wan stops him, there's no saying how much destruction he could cause first, and nothing is worth that. Not if he destroys everything he's trying to protect again.

He doesn't have a way to do that anyway, and it's not as if the Jedi would ever let him. Probably rightfully so.

"If you can discover any more about this... tell me," Anakin requests finally. It's the most he can ask for.

***

They still haven't found any traces of Ahsoka – or Sidious and his Death Star – anywhere when Anakin is sent with several Republic Senators to Mandalore for the peace negotiations. Padme is there too, and it's the first time he's been around her for more than a brief conversation.

Padme hasn't tried saying anything to him on a more... personal level since they came there, even if he can tell that she wants to. It's... easier for him like this, when she's not trying to pursue that side of their relationship, but it still feels like he's hurting her, and he doesn't want that. But somehow, it always happens. That's why he doesn't... think actually pursing it is a good idea, and even beyond that, he can't imagine being that intimate with someone again.