When the Sun Sets

Chapter 17 - Mustafar

Anakin Skywalker

"The Separatists have been taken care of, my master," I report, standing in front of a hologram of Sidious, arms crossed, as if that could do something to calm me and keep the icy darkness from eating me inside out. I loathe him, and his icy, cold darkness is even more sickening. He's happy, and I hate that. It's not fair.

"It is finished then. You have restored peace and justice to the galaxy. Send a message to the ships of the Trade Federation. All droid units must shut down immediately."

That, at least, is the one good that has come from all this. Ending the war and ensuring a chance at restoring peace in the galaxy is the one thing no one can say is wrong. I hate the part of me that wonders if Obi-Wan would be proud for that, at least. "Very good, my lord."

The hologram flickers off and across from me, I see a flashing light on the scanner.

A ship is approaching us. It's a small, Separatist ship, marking the one Krell uses, and I'm not sure who, though it only takes a moment before I sense it – Obi-Wan. He's here, of course. I don't know how he figured out where we were going though. We only told Padme and Jaufre, so unless they told him...

Aniya moves forwards to send the transmission while I try to find some semblance of calm. I don't know how he's going to react when he sees us. Does he know what we've done?

He'll – he'll – to say he'd be disappointed is an understatement, but will he... try to kill us? I hope not. I don't think I could handle that, and I don't know if he'd choose us or his duty. Not in this – it's nothing like any situation we've ever been in. I know he should have told the Council about our marriages, and I almost wonder what would have happened if he had. Would all this still have happened? Would...

But it doesn't matter, and that's the worst part. Obi-Wan is terrifying when he's angry. I've rarely dealt with that before, but it's always... mind-numbing to see him that way. It always feels like I can't breathe, and it may not have happened in quite a long time now, not since I was a padawan, but...

"We should go outside to meet him," I say, touching Aniya's shoulder. I know she's afraid to see him. But...

"Yes," she agrees shakily, "Ani, what if..."

I wince. "That name doesn't fit me anymore. I'm not..." I'm not the little boy my mother called that. I don't deserve to have something so close from her.

She nods slightly, looks away, then back. "This is where my vision happened," she says, slowly, "What if it's that he came here to kill us?" she queries, "And it's not that he Fell?"

For a heart stopping moment, I can't help remembering how Master Yoda had told us not to make assumptions. What if she's right? "Then we will face it together, Viola," I reply, facing her. It feels wrong to use that name, but we're not truly who we used to be anymore. It's only fair for us to use the names our new master gave us for as long as we are in his service, and we will have to become accustomed to it, even if we don't often use our real names in private.

Together, we step outside into the stifling heat of the planet, onto the balcony, watching from afar to see the ship land. My heart is pounding as I watch, waiting, which is doing no good in calming me, and I don't want to draw on the Dark Side right now. I know it would help, but I don't want my once master to see me like that. I hate myself for that enough already.

He's not in his own fighter. He's in... Krell's? Convenient. I'm grateful he was able to escape with it, but I don't know if I'm ready for this.

The ship touches down, and Aniya and I start our approach, keeping our distance even when Obi-Wan climbs out. And oh, he's angry. I can feel it. It's never been stronger – it's almost literally screaming into the Force around him. The fury is something I haven't even felt on him when he's angry. It's something else entirely. Even now, high on the Dark Side, my fear should be able to do something, but I can't find it in myself to hate him in any shape or form. I can't summon even a shred of the anger I know I often feel towards him, but that had all changed after... after. The war, our marriages, all of it.