Chapter Text
The room was dark and frigid. The kind that made coldness settle in your bones and consume the very air in your soul. He kept his head bowed when he took a kneel. Praying to a god he wasn’t even sure he existed, he prayed that he didn’t know. Prayed that he wouldn’t be punished. That those he saved didn’t die.
He kept his breathing steady. Doing his best to save the panic for a later time. Not today. Not this moment. He could hear his erratic heart rate racing in his ear like the pod-racers he loved as a child. He loved to many things like this when he was a child. Those days were over now. Over when he arrived with a red light that seemed to take everything. Everyone he ever cared about.
His master cleared his throat and he bent his head further, eyes tight with a willingness for his heart to stop. His masters old voice spoke with waiting disapproval. Its scratchiness made his flinch, making him disappointed in himself.
“Did you execute them, Young Skywalker?” Anakin could hear the sneer at the end of the sentence. He swallowed slightly and answered the Emperor.
“Yes Master.”
“Even the younglings? You always have a certain…. trouble with executing those ones. Did you kill them?”
He shut his eyes impossibly tighter and took a shallow breath. “Yes Master. I… I killed them all.”
“You hesitated.”
“My apologies Master. They are all dead. It was made to look like an accident.”
“Good. Go get cleaned up, I can smell the stench of death on you from here.”
“Yes Master.” Anakin got up and bowed to his Master before leading the room is slow, agonizing steps. He made them deliberate, counting each one until he crossed the door frame. His breath was shallow with his eyes fixated on the hall infront of him. It was warmer out here than in that room. With him.
After a couple hallways he finally took a full breath. His heart sped up with his steps. He walked incessantly faster down the dark aged halls. The once comforting age of it as a child had long since lost its power. It now felt like a trap at every waking moment. Watching for him to mess up, to fall. And to be killed. He avoided the droids, avoided the too loud inquisitors in form roads. His long hair shook with him as breathing became more difficult, suffocating him were he stood.
He made it to his room. Slamming the door he practically melted against it. Tears ran down his face as he clutched the tight fabric away from his throat. His metal hand squeezed against his mouth tightly, painfully. His streaming eyes rolled up as he prayed to not be loud. They didn’t like him being loud, much less crying. They can’t hear him.
He could still feel the throbbing on his face from when second sister turned him into the emperor with red tear tracks stuck on his puffed up face. He could still hear his begs, his screams when they cut another part of his body away. That time it was his left leg. From the knee down.
He was 13.
He had a prosthetic sure, but the pain would always be there. The memory that came with metal poking at your flesh, pulling at your nerves. Reminding you with every step of your failure, of your mistake that cost so much.
He hated it. He hated all of it.
The tears eventually stoped and when they did he left the door with an ache in his bones. His whole body hurt. Where the metal replacements met his flesh it stung. It felt wrong, like a price of him he was never supposed to have. He got into the little bathroom in his room with shaking steps. He leaned against the wall and shut the door. He clutched his abdomen where the cuts still bleed slightly. He turned on the cold shower then stripped.
The water was cool against his skin, a welcome feeling after the day. He reflected on hit as he fumbled to scrub the blood from his body. He closed his eyes and allowed him self to remember . He had to remember what he did. He would never forgive himself. He has never forgiven himself.
A woman. A gorgeous mother of three. Her tan skin seemed perfect, long lashes shut with a finality that he hated. A butchers knife that had been clutched so tightly in her thin hand now lay limp with it. She laid on her side, a hole though her pregnant belle and another throw her head. He tried to make it quick, first her stomach then up through her scull. He remembered the sizzle, the crunch of her falling breaking some bone, the scream for the remainder of her family to run. Her rolled up eyes making her final look a one of hatred at Anakin himself.
He wore a black cloak over his head but the red light made his face light up quickly. Making it so she saw whole killed her, had a face to hate even in her last breath. Her husband screamed. Sobbing about his wife about her body on the floor. Begging her to get up. When he ran over to shake her, an act of hope and despair, he cut him down. A cut across his chest, a stab through his heart, a slit of his throat. His blue skin turned a disgusting red and black. Looking so very unnatural on him. His frown deepened as he unwillingly looked to where the children were.
They were trying to open the obviously looked window out to the street. Their nervous hands giggled the knob with a desperation no child should have. He stepped over the body’s. Closer to the children. He got a good look at them now. Tear tracks fell quickly down their pale blue skin. There were three of them. Only one had the force sensitivity that Palpatine was so happy to have his soldiers destroy. Their family. Anakin was sent to kill the boys entire family, let him live. Let the Jedi find the boy and in time he would turn angry. Get desperate, get hatred gun his heart. Then he would join the dark side. Become one of Palpatine’s death soldiers.
They looked so small against the wall. So weak, so frightened. The boy was tho oldest, clearly inherited his mother’s bravery. He looked no more than seven. He would guess that the other children behind him were twins, no more than five. The boy looked at him with hated he had only seen in the mirror. Anakin look off his hood. The boy looked at his face with fists clenched. He took in Anakin’s appearance. The scars, the tired eyes, the paleness matching the child’s face, the grim look in his eyes that made the child falter. Only to shout at him.
“LEAVE US ALONE!” His voice was high. Desperately trying to defend his siblings with what ever might he had left. Anakin squeezed his eyes tight then looked at the boy- turning off his lightsaber in the process.
“I was sent to kill your family. Your parents are dead, your aunts and uncles are dead, your grandparents are dead, your cousins are dead. Now I must kill your siblings.” He hesitated as the boy shook his head not believing in his words. The younger children behind him stoped with the window and now sat on the ground, untangled in each others to cry in the others arms.
“No. No, no, no, no, nonononononono-“
“The Jedi will come for you.” The boy fell to his knees. “Don’t go to the dark side. That is what they want. The dark side is what killed your family.” Anakin swallowed and grew to hate the thought of action that he was going to take. No one can know. “Run now. Run. Out that door. Take your siblings with you. Change your name, your looks, everything. If they find out I didn’t kill your siblings they will find you. They will kill you and anyone you ever knew. Take this. Get off world. Mourn once you’re safe.I-I’m sorry, little one.” He tossed a bag of credits to the boy and put back on his hood. Stashing the saber in his belt he left. The money landed at his feet and Anakin hoped that they would follow his instruction. They would all be doomed if they didn’t.
He left as silently he came. An omen of death they were called. They didn’t know how right that was.
He made it to his ship easily. The port was small and enough on the Emperor’s side to turn a blind eye to what inquisitor landed there.
His star-fighter was sleek, new and dark. It had a red accents he would enjoy if it wasn’t so evil, so devastating cold. If the darkness wasn’t so defined the child that still unwilling live din him would be happy. The scars were too much to be happy at those sort of trivial things, at the way his mother would love to hear of his rant about the ship in the sky. The feel of the vibrating ship and hot trusters underneath him as he soared into to space made his mind calm a bit.
He thought over his actions. Shoot, what was he going to do. He had to kill the twins. Even so he told the boy to not go to the dark side, to change his name and look. He was deliberately disobeying Palpatine’s orders. This was not good. What if he knows? He knows everything, gets everywhere. If he finds out he spared children, gods he didn’t even want to think of the possibility’s. He went into hyper space.
Back in the shower he took a look at the deep cut the woman was able to make on him. It was unsettling. A dead woman’s last mark, on his scared body. He washed it thoroughly, making the burn of soap against the new flesh last longer. He needed that pain. That pain to feel something other then the numb and fear he grew so used to.
Out of the shower he put on clean black pants and boxers. Drying his shaggy brown hair with a towel, making it damp at best. He found his first add kit. Taking out the needle and thread he got to work. He did his best not to flinch at the needle piercing his already fragile skin. He had done it so many times it was weird to him how he still felt so much pain from it. He did his best not to react but was more than glad when that part was over.
With one last tug he closed the skin with gauze. The white medical patch seeming to stark on his tan skin. Put on his black and brown robes. Brushing his hair he sat on his bed looking into the mirror. God, what had become of him. That little blond boy he knew so many years ago was so much more than what he was now.
He was Nineteen. Nineteen. That’s young in human years. That’s young in many species years. He felt tears prickle his eyes. How could his life had turned out if he didn’t have the force. If he was just a regular slave boy on Tatooine. With all of his friends and racing. Building robots. What could have happened? Would he have no scars? Would his mother be alive? Would he be able to escape that planet from being a slave?
His mind filled of possibilities of what could have been. What could have happened. He hated it. Hated his life that he was forced into. He hated feeling so scared. A Sith was never supposed to be this weak.
His data pad lit up on his dresser. A message from the Grand Inquisitor. He looked at it. New instructions. He had to kill some trades men that have betrayed the Emperor. He was given a location and pictures. He sighed and took a deep breath. Putting on his belt with a loop for his light saber, his shoes tight on his feet. Data pad inside his clothing. He left. Back to his fighter.
He ate in his ship. One of those meals he grew so used to in the last couple years. It was good, one of his favorites. He felt disgusted with himself. He was having a hot meal while those kids were alone, rounded by nothing but body’s. From experience he could tell you it was terrifying. Reaching out only to find a cold limp hand waiting for you. He was taken though, the kids were on their own.
He arrived at Nar Shaddaa quickly. He sighed while looking at the crime riddled moon. He landed on the
Docks. Paying the droid to watch over his ship he walked into the dark space. People whispered about him, watching his every move. He kept his head at a tilt, making his face mysterious to onlookers. He navigated the streets easily enough. Asking an old man for directions he made it to Ukabi’s own home. That foolish leader of the Exchange made a deal with the Sith, then went back on it. He was tasked to question the man then get answers. Easy enough.
He knocked on the door. A security eye popped out of the wall, surveying Anakin. It asked for a name and what his reason of being there was.
“Inquisitor Malice. On behalf of the Sith.” The eye retreated and the door opened almost instantly. He entered and the door snapped shut be hind him loudly. He let down his hood than took his saber out. He found Ukabi in his office. Writing something frantic on an already used piece of paper.
“I heard that you betrayed us.” Anakin slayed his fist down on the desk. Using the force to push the chair back up to the wall.
“Please, please, please let me explain sir!” He begged with his hands in prayer as Anakin stepped around the desk. He got up close to the man and squeezed his hand slightly. The man let out a choking sound as the force clenched around his wind pipe.
“I’m afraid I can’t kill you yet.” The words felt like poison on his lips. “You need to answer some questions.” He made the force subside but kept it lingering, to let the man know that if he didn’t answer he would die. He didn’t want another body in his hands for today. He would prefer to let the man live but Palpatine would know if he let this figure head alive. He was too important to be safe to leave alive.
“Yes sir, thank you sir.” The man now had tears streaming down his face. Anakin made his voice rise, the man flinched back.
“Shut up! What did you tell and who did you tell?” He made up all of the man’s vision, looking as imposing as he could. He would the man to be terrified.
“I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you! Um, uh, god what was his name… uh, Obi wan Kenobi and some little orange girl with him. I told them shipping routs and uh, uh, something else. I can’t remember!”
“Well you better start thinking,” he took out his saber and pointed it close to the man’s head. “Or, it’s your head.”
He started stammering, talking aloud, begging, doing anything, trying to remember what else he said. “Tik tok, you don’t have much time. Tell me what you told them.”
“I can’t remember!”
“It’s your head.” He cut off Ukabi’s head. The gross little thing feel to the floor with a small thunk. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a. Deep breath. The body slumped out of the chair and took a deeper fall to the floor. He pinched the bridge to his nose and felt anger over take him. He searched through the files anything more. He ripped open drawers, cabinets, tearing the hinges off.
Nothing.
Anger filled him. He to them something important. He wouldn’t have told. He couldn’t ’remember’. He couple practically smell the lie on his dirty breath. He knows what the man does to woman, to children. Disgusting pig.
He heard the door being banged on, he pinched the bridge of his nose again. He ignored the body on the floor and scanned the other rooms. Nothing much, it all seemed to be in the main office. The thunking got louder until a sizzling sound filled the space. A blue lightsaber poked through the now yellow, orange and red door. Creating an opening in the thick metal. He scanned the room, windows.
He went to the nearest one and shattered it with his fist. He jumped out the window as the metal fell with. Satisfying thunk. He looked for a spit second at the Jedi that made and appearance.
A man with white and brown armor, brown blondish hair and beard adorned his head. A few wrinkles were on it as well, getting lit up by the blue lightsaber in his hands. He was tall, with a nice build. Not too strong not too weak. Definitely a Jedi. The girl next to him had bright orange skin. White and blue lekku grew from her head. She reminded him of a Twi’lek but not quite. She looked more like a Togruta. She had on a nice red shirt and black pants. Red boots and red arms cuffs made a statement with her belt. White markings were on her face as well as a furious scowl lining her face as she looked at the body then at Anakin. He jumped off the building then to the nearest tower.
They followed.
He could feel them gaining speed behind him. He went faster, trying to get them off his trail. The man jumped in front of him with his lightsaber ready. He stoped in his tracks and got out his red one aswell. The girl powered up hers from behind him.
“Look. This is real cute and all but I have a job to do. So respectfully scram, unless you want to end up like that pig.” He sneered at them. He raised his arms and started walking in a circle. They followed suit. The girl behind him laughed like he made a joke, which to be honest, he did. A bit.
“Such confident words from a killer. Look, Sith, you are out numbered. Either come with us or this will get messy.”
“Ahsoka… Behave. ”
“Listen to your master little one. You don’t even know the meaning of the word messy. Not yet.” With that he jumped up and landed a powerful strike against this Ahsoka. While she was dazed for that spit second he jumped back to attack the man. He hit the man hard over and over again, enough to usually make people cower in place. The man faithful back. Leaving equal strikes against Anakin’s light saber. Ahsoka jumped at him from behind. He blocked the attack. Evading and blocking there attacks with the occasional strike, he fended for himself well.
Well was not enough, he needed to be these Jedi and get back to the temple. They would be upset if he took too long. Still under such a leash, even so many light years away. He ducked away and got them infront of him. He hit the edge of the building. They were driving him back. He cursed slightly and made a swipe at their feet. They stepped back in surprise. He jumped to the next building.
They followed.
After another building a light was on him. They called the local police or even perhaps their own military. They weren’t allowed to come to smugglers moon though? Never mind , that was the least of his priorities at the moment. Rope ladders fell around him and multiple Clones fell down. They circled him. Wide enough to flee if anything happened. Guns pointed at him, with a click that would scare most people.
“You don’t want to do this.” He said one of the clones scoffed. The one with the most yellow marking raised his fist. He was clearly the leader, made to lead his brothers to battle.
“Fire!”
The blue stuns fired at him with blinding speed. He blocked them all. Wizing by in a circle he deflected them. Dispersing in his red blade. He jumped to the side and held the Clone close to him. With his saber at the man’s neck. The same close who started the fire told them stop as Anakin backed up to the edge of the roof again.
“Let me go. I’ll let him go. Deal?” His voice was hard but he did everything he did into watching that blade. Making sure he didn’t harm the man. He was on the good side, no matter how much he was supposed to kill him. He couldn’t. Couldn’t kill any of them.
He felt a hard hit on the back of his head. He quickly turned off the saber as he fell to the floor, pushing the clone away so he didn’t get hurt. He didn’t watch Ahsoka. As he fell to the floor he saw the Orange girl walk into his line of vision. Her green light sabers shone brightly in the night as she stomped on Anakin’s head. He tried to get up but Ahsoka only kicked again and again. Making the world go darker than it already was in this blasted moon.
He fought and fought the will to close his eyes for asking as he could. Slowly he lost the battle. His last fleeting moment of consciousness he heard them speak. The Jedi from before.
“Master, who is he? I’ve never seen this Inquisitor before. He seems younger than any we have faced before.”
“I agree. I have no idea who this young man is. I hope we find out soon. We will take him to Coruscant and interrogate him there.We must b-“
Their voices became muffled as his lids slid closed. He lost consciousness and was terrified for what Palpatine would do to him. He was in Coruscant. There was no way this would not make it to the Emperor. This would be bad. More than bad.
What would happen to him?