Choices

Chapter 27.

Anakin's POV

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The red blade flew through the air, its lethal tip headed straight for my chest. Exhaustion and shock paralyzed me, rendering my muscles useless. My selfless act was being thrown back into my face, and the injustice of the betrayal closed around my throat and hardened my heart. Every sense was frozen by time, except for my sight. My eyes never failed to catch the tiniest movements, taking in the cruel pleasure etched into Palpatine's features and the wild frenzy in his golden eyes. But what my vision did miss was the flash of black and green beside me. 

As the teen's body slammed into me, sending me clear of my death, all of my senses slammed back as well. Shouts exploded in my ears, along with the thrilling and yet terrifying buzz of the lightsaber, the Force screamed how wrong everything was and was about to be, and pain pounded in my body as I hit the metal floor. The impact of Barriss's blow had me sliding right over the edge of the platform, but I reached out my hand, snatching an unbroken railing and swinging myself up again.

As I hauled myself back onto the platform, my heart almost stopped when I saw the young girl lying on the ground. Palpatine straightened up, pulling his saber back to himself, looking smugly satisfied as he stumbled backwards, still shaky from the Force lightning. She was just a girl – a child. And he had put his weapon through her gut without a trace of remorse. On the contrary, he was pleased, no, delighted. She was only a girl ... just like Ahsoka, when she was convicted of bombing the Jedi Temple.

Rage boiled inside me as grief ripped at my heart, and I turned my murderous gaze on Palpatine. I didn't remember where I had dropped my lightsaber, but I didn't care. The power – the Dark Side – bubbled up inside me, and I knew it was wrong. But it was wrong that he had done this to her. Wasn't it only fair?

Palpatine, hanging onto the rail for support, smiled complacently at me, though his smile disappeared when he saw my face. "Come now, Anakin," he started, but I cut him off.

"Don't you dare ask me to join you!" I shouted. "How could you expect me to go with you after I've seen what you can and will do? You tried to kill me! Instead, you got Barriss, and do you care? No!"

He seemed mostly unmoved until he sensed the Dark Side growing ever stronger in me. He set himself grimly, preparing to fight, but I knew, deep down, he was no match for me. The Jedi had always said the Dark Side was powerful; I believed them. I could feel the raw power surging through my veins and pounding in my head. I had always known I was strong but had never truly been able to fathom that strength. Letting go of all restraints, ignoring every warning and word of caution that had been spoken to me, I knew I could hold the power to control the galaxy. Control: it was such a little word, but it offered such comfort and such safety. If I could control what I wanted, I could finally stop losing people I loved. If I had complete control, I could make things the way I wanted them to be. And I could do it for her.

But, just before I let rip, the softest touch brushed my boot, and I glanced down, holding in the power and holding my breath.

Barriss had reached out and tapped my foot, using what little strength she still had. Then I felt it, through the Force. It was only quiet, and very gentle, but it was there. She had whispered one word through the Force: sacrifice.

At first, I didn't want to acknowledge what it meant, but it quickly pushed itself on me, speaking a whole story through one little word. She had sacrificed for me. If I were to avenge her ... then I would be no better than when I was on Tatooine. My mother had just died, and I had just avenged her. But I had always known, buried deep in the softest part of my heart, that Mother would have been horrified if she knew what I had done. And though Barriss wasn't perfect, she still cared. And she would feel the same as Mother, if I did the same for her.