Murder the Dawn: Chapter Twenty Nine: Will, Right, Responsibility.
In which Obi-Wan makes his first step towards the Dark Side.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Notes: I'm so sorry, you guys. I really am. I mean...I can do nothing but apologize for what's up next.
To say this was not one of the easier rescue missions they had had would have been putting it mildly, really. In between battling through elevators filled with droids and everything else, Anakin already had a feeling that getting Palpatine out would be far from easy. But it didn’t mean that it wasn’t worth the risk. Palpatine, after all, was almost a father to him -- almost as much as Obi-Wan was.
“Just remember, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said softly, “Rescue, not mayhem.”
“I know, I know.” Even now, Anakin was tempted to say that Obi-Wan didn’t have to tell him twice, but even now, it wasn’t really the case. He wanted to dispense justice to Dooku for what he’d done. He wanted to end the war. And yet at the same time, what if he ultimately ended up doing the wrong thing?
Obi-Wan had always impressed him, in a way, with his Jedi serenity, how he never seemed to trip up. Something that Anakin admired and was infuriated by at the same time -- infuriated by if only because at times, Obi-Wan seemed to simply not get it, in all honesty.
“And follow my lead,” Obi-Wan said, “I have no desire to repeat Geonosis.”
“Neither do I, Master.”
They walked in, now, to the General’s quarters, Anakin’s hand on his lightsaber. Obi-Wan had said, “rescue, not mayhem”, and yet at the same time, there was no harm in being watchful. After all, anything could be waiting to ambush them while they were trying to rescue Palpatine. Just about anything.
Or anyone.
It was completely dark in the General’s quarters -- the lights always seemed to be among the first to fail whenever something was under attack. Then the ship shook and the lights came on again. What Anakin saw caused him to barely suppress a gasp.
There was Palpatine, in the General’s chair, cuffed, seeming pale and frightened and almost in pain. And worse. To think of what Grievous and Dooku must have done to this brave, good man was enough to make Anakin almost forsake his vow of rescue, not mayhem, and kill Grievous and Dooku himself.
But for now, it would have to wait. Once Palpatine was safe, then they could blow up the ship.
“Chancellor.” Obi-Wan was more composed than Anakin felt; even now, Anakin didn’t quite know how he did it. “Are you all right?”
“Dooku.” The word was small, almost a warning. And as if on cue, the fallen Jedi himself slinked out of the shadows on the balcony, flanked by battle droids.
“Follow my lead,” Obi-Wan reminded him, almost as if Anakin was thinking of forsaking that vow, of causing mayhem.
“I know, I know.” But even now, he doubted it would be easy. Dooku had beaten him once at Geonosis. Dooku had eluded the Jedi other times. This war had to come to an end -- but how?
“Your weapons, please, gentlemen,” Dooku said. “We don’t wish to make a mess in front of the Chancellor.”
“You won’t get away this time, Dooku.” Obi-Wan, ever the mask of serenity, hiding behind it a shade of menace. If anything, one of the most terrifying aspects about his master, at least at times, was how he never seemed to raise his voice when he was angry. The fury of a Jedi Master...
Even as the fight began, Anakin could already guess what Obi-Wan’s plan was. Deceiving Dooku if slightly, before changing their fighting styles from ones they were far from familiar with to their regular ones. Just to catch him off guard. If anything, it was not just a workable plan, but a fitting one as well. Dooku, after all, was far too arrogant to underestimate himself --
-- and for good reason. Even now, barely managing to recover from Dooku’s latest strike, a Force wave that sent Anakin careening into the wall, Anakin winced, rubbing his temples if slightly, watching Obi-Wan dueling Dooku. If anything, Dooku seemed to be having the upper hand, only for Obi-Wan to --
With one slash of a lightsaber, Obi-Wan brought Dooku almost effortlessly to his knees. Severing his hands -- both of them! -- and taking his lightsaber. Two lightsabers, one red and one blue, crossed at Dooku’s throat, Obi-Wan about to kill --
-- and Palpatine almost goading him to. “Finish him, Master Kenobi. End this.”
“No!” Anakin ran towards Obi-Wan, almost in a panic. “It’s not the Jedi way.”
But it didn’t stop Obi-Wan in the end from executing Dooku. Even looking into his eyes, those cold, almost sad eyes, it was as if Anakin had never known him at all.
“I’m sorry, Anakin.” Obi-Wan’s voice was calm. Too calm. Almost flat. “I’m so sorry. I never wanted it to come to this.”
“I know.” But even now, Anakin didn’t believe it.
The best they could do was get Palpatine out of there. And after he was out, get to the nearest escape pod. At least then -- then things would become more straightforward.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Notes: I'm so sorry, you guys. I really am. I mean...I can do nothing but apologize for what's up next.
To say this was not one of the easier rescue missions they had had would have been putting it mildly, really. In between battling through elevators filled with droids and everything else, Anakin already had a feeling that getting Palpatine out would be far from easy. But it didn’t mean that it wasn’t worth the risk. Palpatine, after all, was almost a father to him -- almost as much as Obi-Wan was.
“Just remember, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said softly, “Rescue, not mayhem.”
“I know, I know.” Even now, Anakin was tempted to say that Obi-Wan didn’t have to tell him twice, but even now, it wasn’t really the case. He wanted to dispense justice to Dooku for what he’d done. He wanted to end the war. And yet at the same time, what if he ultimately ended up doing the wrong thing?
Obi-Wan had always impressed him, in a way, with his Jedi serenity, how he never seemed to trip up. Something that Anakin admired and was infuriated by at the same time -- infuriated by if only because at times, Obi-Wan seemed to simply not get it, in all honesty.
“And follow my lead,” Obi-Wan said, “I have no desire to repeat Geonosis.”
“Neither do I, Master.”
They walked in, now, to the General’s quarters, Anakin’s hand on his lightsaber. Obi-Wan had said, “rescue, not mayhem”, and yet at the same time, there was no harm in being watchful. After all, anything could be waiting to ambush them while they were trying to rescue Palpatine. Just about anything.
Or anyone.
It was completely dark in the General’s quarters -- the lights always seemed to be among the first to fail whenever something was under attack. Then the ship shook and the lights came on again. What Anakin saw caused him to barely suppress a gasp.
There was Palpatine, in the General’s chair, cuffed, seeming pale and frightened and almost in pain. And worse. To think of what Grievous and Dooku must have done to this brave, good man was enough to make Anakin almost forsake his vow of rescue, not mayhem, and kill Grievous and Dooku himself.
But for now, it would have to wait. Once Palpatine was safe, then they could blow up the ship.
“Chancellor.” Obi-Wan was more composed than Anakin felt; even now, Anakin didn’t quite know how he did it. “Are you all right?”
“Dooku.” The word was small, almost a warning. And as if on cue, the fallen Jedi himself slinked out of the shadows on the balcony, flanked by battle droids.
“Follow my lead,” Obi-Wan reminded him, almost as if Anakin was thinking of forsaking that vow, of causing mayhem.
“I know, I know.” But even now, he doubted it would be easy. Dooku had beaten him once at Geonosis. Dooku had eluded the Jedi other times. This war had to come to an end -- but how?
“Your weapons, please, gentlemen,” Dooku said. “We don’t wish to make a mess in front of the Chancellor.”
“You won’t get away this time, Dooku.” Obi-Wan, ever the mask of serenity, hiding behind it a shade of menace. If anything, one of the most terrifying aspects about his master, at least at times, was how he never seemed to raise his voice when he was angry. The fury of a Jedi Master...
Even as the fight began, Anakin could already guess what Obi-Wan’s plan was. Deceiving Dooku if slightly, before changing their fighting styles from ones they were far from familiar with to their regular ones. Just to catch him off guard. If anything, it was not just a workable plan, but a fitting one as well. Dooku, after all, was far too arrogant to underestimate himself --
-- and for good reason. Even now, barely managing to recover from Dooku’s latest strike, a Force wave that sent Anakin careening into the wall, Anakin winced, rubbing his temples if slightly, watching Obi-Wan dueling Dooku. If anything, Dooku seemed to be having the upper hand, only for Obi-Wan to --
With one slash of a lightsaber, Obi-Wan brought Dooku almost effortlessly to his knees. Severing his hands -- both of them! -- and taking his lightsaber. Two lightsabers, one red and one blue, crossed at Dooku’s throat, Obi-Wan about to kill --
-- and Palpatine almost goading him to. “Finish him, Master Kenobi. End this.”
“No!” Anakin ran towards Obi-Wan, almost in a panic. “It’s not the Jedi way.”
But it didn’t stop Obi-Wan in the end from executing Dooku. Even looking into his eyes, those cold, almost sad eyes, it was as if Anakin had never known him at all.
“I’m sorry, Anakin.” Obi-Wan’s voice was calm. Too calm. Almost flat. “I’m so sorry. I never wanted it to come to this.”
“I know.” But even now, Anakin didn’t believe it.
The best they could do was get Palpatine out of there. And after he was out, get to the nearest escape pod. At least then -- then things would become more straightforward.