Star Wars Episode IIIAU: Sith Rising (Star Wars AU Series #1)

Atrocities and Allies

Anakin's POV

"Shit!" I screamed and fell to my knees while clutching my head in pain. Organa came to my side.

"Are you okay, Anakin?" Organa asked.

"I...s-sense a..g-g-great disturbance i-in the F-Force..." I stuttered. "A-As if P-Palpatine had c-committed...murder...k-killed...y-y-younglings. Obi Wan...A-Ahsoka...P-Plo Koon..." Organa grabbed my shoulder.

"Hey, relax, Anakin. We'll have Palpatine's butt dragged to hell in no time at all." Organa said, but I shook my head. Clay unexpectedly burst into the room.

"Anakin! Organa! You have got to see this!" He cried.

"What's up, Clay?" I asked. Instead of answering, he gestured for us to follow him.

---

"What the heck..." I said when we entered the hospital. Obi Wan, Ahsoka, Plo Koon, and Petro the Padawan were lying unconscious in the same row. Windu and Yoda were there.

"What happened?" Clay asked.

"Obi Wan, Ahsoka, and Plo engaged Palpatine in a duel and got severely hurt. Petro witnessed it all." Windu informed.

"What happened on Ilum?" Organa questioned.

"So horrific, it was, for speak it, I cannot." Yoda stated.

"Where are the younglings?" Windu asked. Clay pushed back a curtain, and I saw four corpses being prepared for burial.

"He did this?" I gasped.

"Yes, Anakin. I'm telling you, that man is nothing but trouble." Windu scolded.

How could Palpatine do this? I thought I knew him. Turns out I was dead wrong. But if I leave him now, my friends will die, for sure. I can't let that happen.

"So, first Palpatine reveals himself to the Jedi, then he claims that he knows the secrets to saving loved ones from certain death, next he tries to have Petro executed, and now he kills 4 innocent children." Organa sighed. "I'm not liking this."

"Me either. The question is, how are we going to defeat Palpatine? He's way too powerful to be kept alive, and yet not many people survive dueling him." Clay noted.

"Those four were probably just lucky." Organa inferred.

"And Anakin may just have the power to defeat him. Problem is, he's got a problem with avoiding attachments, so his judgement and senses get clouded. On top of that, he's vulnerable." Windu said.

"That's simple. Recruit allies that are not part of the Order. We've got a good start. There's Ahsoka, Clay, Organa...and a few more." I suggested.

---

"Hey, Will. Can you hear me?" I asked when I contacted Will via hologram. Holographic images of him and Mia appeared.

"Yep, I can hear you. What's up? How are things going with your mission? We haven't heard anything." He asked.

"Not good. My mission turned out horribly. I started getting visions of my friends in danger, so I told Palpatine. He claimed that he could show me the power, but in order to obtain that power, he made me do horrible things. I knew they were wrong, but---." I started, but Mia interrupted me.

"You did horrible things?! Anakin, you can't! You're a good person! You wouldn't let anyone lay a hand on those you cared about, and you're letting Palpatine manipulate you? Anakin, you're much stronger than that." Mia pleaded. Deep down inside, I knew she was right. But she doesn't understand. I need this power to save my friends from certain death. The Jedi are humble beings who don't crave power. I want power, and I know I shouldn't.

"I know, I know. Listen, guys. Aside from that bullshit, Palpatine almost executed a youngling, but luckily, Ahsoka saved him. Windu's been holding questionings in order to weed out traitors of the Republic, and he's throwing many innocent people in jail. And today, Palpatine abolished the Republic and turned it into a Galactic Empire. And Obi Wan, Ahsoka, Plo, and some Padawan got injured while fighting Palpatine." I explained.

"That's horrible!" Will exclaimed.

"They also found 4 dead younglings. They were probably killed by Palpatine."

"That bastard!" Mia growled.

"If you think that's bad, I'm telling you---it's only the beginning."

"I have to agree." Mia nodded.

"So what do you want from us, Ani?" Will asked.

"First off, what are you up to now?"

"We're off to Takodana, where we hope to talk to Maz Kanata, the pirate queen, about our investigations. We were on Alderaan a few days ago, hoping to talk to Bail Organa about our suspicions against Palpatine, but it was interrupted by a bunch of red Mandos storming the place. Maz Kanata's really wise, so we hope we can get something from her."

"Okay, once you're done with that, come straight to Coruscant. Do not bring Padme and the kids along, okay?"

"Oh, that's easy. We found this slave girl on Tatooine named Kihara. She claims to know all about Palpatine and is helping us in our investigation. She can watch over Padme and the kids. Not sure if she's capable of fighting."

"Okay. See you whenever." I said, right before deactivating the hologram. I sat on my bed in my Jedi quarters. A pang of guilt struck my heart like a bullet. Why was I letting Palpatine manipulate me? I know what he's asking of me is wrong, but I have to obtain the power to save my friends from certain death. And more than that, why can't I fight it? Am I too weak, or am I too scared?

---

Author's Note: Oops!...I Did It Again! (comment if you get the reference) I changed to Anakin's perspective again! I regret nothing.

Okay, so Anakin has made contact with his friends Will and Mia, which was the first time he talked to them since he and Padme parted ways. What bit of info will Mia and Will learn from Maz Kanata? What will Anakin do now that his 'master' has murdered a few people of his own kind? Good luck, Anakin, you're gonna need it.