Dreams

Chapter 34.

Anakin's POV

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I crept into the Senate, sneaking past dignitaries and guards that strolled or patrolled through the beautiful, lavish halls. I pressed myself against a wall as I waited for a small party to pass, listening to the clinking of expensive jewellery and boots overlaid with gold. Their easy chatter seemed to smash into stark contrast with my dark mood, and the happy compliments and pleasant musings on the success of their day seemed to taunt me, showing the delight that had been happening at the same time as my world had been crashing down around me.

I balled my mech hand into a tight fist, feeling a surge of power, made stronger as it mixed with a flare of anger. Taking a deep breath, I held it, forcing myself to calm down again. I knew how volatile I could be, and the last thing I wanted to do was blow the Senate building to pieces.

Letting my breath out slowly, I took a moment to collect myself, then peeked around the corner, checking for anyone. When the hall appeared empty, I slipped out of the shadows and sneaked further down, mildly satisfied by the noise-muffling of the red carpet underfoot.

I knew the path I was treading nearly off heart, and in less than a minute, I had found the room for which I was searching. I hesitated for a second, then knocked quietly on the door. A welcoming "come in" sounded from inside, so I stepped in, making sure to shut the door behind me.

"Anakin!" a familiar voice greeted me warmly, and I glanced around to see Chancellor Palpatine approaching me. His arms were open, and a fatherly smile lit up his wrinkled face.

I tried to return his smile, dipping my head in greeting. "Hello, Your Honour. How are you?"

"I'm well, I'm very well!" he enthused, ushering me to one of his couches. "And you? How are you doing, my boy?" He sat opposite me, his blue eyes fixed earnestly on me.

I let a heavy sigh escape my lips, resting my elbows on my knees as I folded my hands together. "I'm ... I'm not great."

A concerned frown sprang onto the chancellor's face, and he leaned forwards intently. "Whatever is the matter, my boy? Now that you've mentioned, I can see you look utterly exhausted! What could possibly have been going on that has left you so wasted? The Jedi haven't been pushing you too much, I hope!"

I remained silent for a long time, playing with my hands, letting my gaze drift out the large, rounded window at the far wall. Lights blinked and ships departed and returned. Night cradled the enormous city, and, for most, offered rest and relief from the work of the day and the heat of the sun. Evening meant a break from toil and labour, a time to relax and unwind, an opportunity to retire from the day's trials and relax with friends and loved ones. But for me, it only seemed to highlight the blindingly-obvious lack of such luxuries. Instead, I was wanted and hunted by the very people I had trusted, betrayed on a pretence with little credit or proof. Yes, I had murdered that camp of Tuscan raiders; I didn't deny that. But I did deny placing and detonating those bombs. How could I have done such a thing to my friends?

Finally, I sighed again, long and weary, staring blankly at a spot on the floor. "I've been expelled."

I stopped when I thought I felt the briefest spike in the Force. A dark pleasure, cold and cruel, had either just flashed through the Force, or it was nothing and I had just imagined it. Still, it set me on edge.

Chancellor Palpatine, however, didn't appear to notice, instead sitting back, an expression of aghast surprise on his face. "You've been expelled? The Jedi have expelled you? What? How come? How could they get rid of someone so powerful and useful as yourself?"

I flexed my bionic hand, crunching it tight when a bent wire sent pain dashing up my arm. "I've been accused of bombing the Jedi Temple." I paused a moment, then sighed again. "Also, the Jedi have somehow found out about my murder of the Tuscan raiders, on Tatooine. I don't know how."

My eyes flicked up to the chancellor when, again, the faintest – probably imagined – flicker stuttered in the Force. A shiver sneaked down my spine as chilling delight blinked once through the Force, like a warning light on a ship's dashboard. But the moment I looked at it, it disappeared again.

"How would they ever hear about that?" he asked, a deep frown creasing his face. "Am I not the only person you have told about this incident?"

I hesitated before shaking my head slowly. "No. No, you aren't. Padmé Amidala knows about it. But she wouldn't tell on me, I'm sure of that." I second-guessed myself for a moment, then shook my head again, this time more intentionally. "No, she wouldn't." 

"How could that have happened, then?" he mused, half to himself, his eyes fixed to a spot in the distance.

Subconsciously, my eyes followed his gaze, and I did a double-take at what I saw. A broken ball of black, with fried wires and splintered glass bulging out of it, sat on the chancellor's desk, looking for all the world as though it was innocent. I blinked. How could a droid be innocent?

My mind flashed back to the time I had found that little machine. Obi-Wan and I had been on a mission to Geonosis. Neither he nor I had known what was so special about this droid, but the chancellor had asked specially for it. Memories mingled with thoughts, and suddenly everything clicked into place. It was a camera droid. It had important information on it. It had been on Geonosis. 

"Who said you're a Jedi?" Asajj sneered, startling me with the menace in her tone. "Who is the one who slaughtered a camp of people – men, women, and children? It wasn't me."

I looked down, feeling the guilt and the shame bearing down on me, hearing the jeers and the laughs that started coming from the packed stands in Petranaki arena. 

"Who did it?" Asajj demanded, louder this time.

The camera droids whizzed around, catching every moment and every word, and everyone, both behind the cameras and in front of them, waited for my response.

"I did." I kept my eyes down, my voice low.

"Speak up, Jedi!" she shouted. "Or should I call you ... Sith?"

"I did it," I repeated, raising my voice and lifting my eyes again. "I did it."

My stomach jolted into my mouth, and I felt sick. The Jedi must have been able to retrieve the information on this camera droid. They would have heard the words straight from my mouth. They had a confession. They knew what I had done.

And they wanted justice.

Obi-Wan, where are you?

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Anakin, why? Why are you going to the chancellor? Why are you listening to him? Go to your friends! Let them help you!!

Did anyone else find this chapter painful and cringy and anakin-why-why-why-did-you-talk-the-chancellor? Coz I did :}

Only a few chapters left! We'll check in with Obi-Wan next chapter, I think, then we might have one, or maybe two chapters after his. But we're almost done! Wow! Thanks for reading and thanks for your support, everyone! ^o^