Trust in Family

The Phantom Apprentice

"Bye Skyguy. Good luck." Ahsoka says.

After looking at her for a moment Anakin responds, "Goodbye Snips."

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Anakin Skywalker has a lot to think about. After his talk with Ahsoka everything is making more sense, without making sense at all. There are only two things he could be certain of; he had to be careful moving forward and he could always trust his family. By family he doesn't mean the jedi order, he means the family that he fought alongside and the people he cares so much about that he would do anything for them.

The Chancellor is clearly hiding something, and it is his job to find out what. He doesn't like it, no, not at all. But as Ahsoka said before, something was wrong. And Anakin couldn't help but agree.

The vision of Padme dying comes to mind. Ahsoka's words came next. Protect others before yourself. Everyone else's well being and happiness always comes before his own.

Anakin sighs as he looks out the nearby window.

Palpatine had offered him a way to save his wife, an offer he wants to take but knows he shouldn't. It was a dark path, a slightly selfish one too, he admits.

Others before himself...

That was what he had always been taught, but the jedi had sacrificed so much for everyone else's happiness. Would it be so wrong if he did one thing with his own self interests in mind?

He realized that yes, yes it would. Because his own Padawan hadn't thought of herself. She always put the others around her first. Even when she was no longer a Jedi, she had still rushed off to help the people of Mandalore when they were suffering at the hands of Maul. He came to the realization that Ahsoka, not once, put herself first.

He also came to the realization that the idea of putting himself first came from Palpatine.

Palpatine...

He's the real threat. Sith Lord or not, he's the head of the Army of the Republic, and there is something simply wrong about Palpatine.

Padme is strong, and they're strong together. Anakin has to believe that with or without Palpatine's help, Padme would make it, and that everything would end up being ok.

Anakin has to have hope.

He has to hope that he is doing the right thing, that if he uncovered Sheev Palpatine's secret, all would be just fine in the end.

— — — — — — — — —

"...Then you'll have your opportunity to lead." Ahsoka says, reasoning with Bo Katan.

"I agree"

Turning towards the voice Ahsoka, Bo Katan, and Rex see.... him.

Maul.

Bo Katan immediately runs forward, attempting to shoot Maul. Maul merely deflects the shots and chokes the mandalorian using the force.

"My Lady, is that any way to treat your rightful ruler?" He asks, but with some strain to his voice, anger emitting from it.

He releases her, and Bo Katan falls to the floor gasping. Ahsoka and Rex race forward to help her, while Maul leans comfortably back on the throne.

"And now, as a show of good faith, I return your comrade in arms to you." He gestures to Jesse who is restrained, looking terribly distraught.

Jesse's restraints fall away.

"Run along," Maul says mockingly, " There you go. Back to your brothers." He gestures his hand toward his adversaries, never taking his eyes off them as Jesse stagers exhaustedly back to comrades.