Chapter Text
“What’s going on?” Anakin demanded, a chill filling the room as his Force signature flickered and sparked. It crashed against Luke’s memories and dragged them on, spitting out images of his father standing over him, red blade ignited and his breathing harsh. He shook them away as Kenobi turned to the man, reaching out to speak. But then his voice fell away, choking on air, as Palpatine’s thundered over the room.
“He thinks I’m a Sith Lord!” Palpatine pointed at Luke. “He’s… he wants to kill me!”
Luke glared back at him, fingers tightening over his saber’s grip. “You are a Sith Lord!”
The anger flickered in the back of his throat, rising as his frustration burned a hole into his chest as he glared at the Sith Lord before looking back to his father. His mind begged and begged for the Jedi Knight to understand, to see the facade the Chancellor was using.
Anakin turned his gaze away from the man, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Kenobi.
“Please, Anakin…” The Jedi Master begged, his voice rising as footsteps began to echo from the Red Door.
“Master, I told you…” Anakin replied “I pointed it out…”
Kenobi shook his head, annoyance flickering into the Force. “Anakin, listen to me…”
“No, Obi-Wan!” Anakin interrupted him, the Force erupting around him in spikes and daggers. “Master Djarin has been sewing chaos the moment he showed up and honestly, I don’t believe a thing he says.”
Pain scorched through Luke’s chest and his eyes slid closed, tightening before opening again. He doesn’t know who I am, he doesn’t know who I am, he…
“But do you believe me?” Kenobi asked.
Anakin stilled, his signature flickering with reds and oranges. It dragged at the blacks around him as his eyes flickered to Palpatine before darting back to Obi-Wan. He took a breath before he said, “I know the Jedi have been blind to their actions for a long time, I know that a Sith could easily manipulate them if need be. Djarin has done the same to you.”
Darkness poured through as Red Guard members stormed into the office. Electricity lit up as their staff slammed against the ground, as they shifted into their defensive stances and stalked around the room. They circled around Kenobi and Cody as the two shifted backward, closer to the windows.
“Anakin, that isn’t true!” Kenobi shouted across the room.
The Jedi Knight shouted back, “Use your eyes, master! The Mandalorian follows Death Watches’ way and your supposed Jedi is adorned in black, the color of the Sith! Are you so blind?”
“Use my eyes?” Kenobi looked as if he had been slapped, his eyes widening and jaw falling open. “Use your senses!”
“Don’t worry, Obi-Wan,” Anakin replied as he turned away from his master, eyes catching onto Luke. “I’ll save you.”
The man jolted forward and swung down at Luke, his saber flaring in the light. Instincts kept Luke from being sliced in half, his saber deflecting the hit as he shifted back and into a defensive stance. His mind jumped to his first time fighting his father, the blades of red and blue casting light across the floor and walls.
But this time, it wasn’t anything like fighting Darth Vader.
He was fighting his father, Anakin Skywalker, free of the chains that had bound him.
The suit had been more than life support for his father, it had been robotics that had garnered strength beyond what was human. Every strike from the man was powered by metal and wires, strong enough to dent metal, to puncture ships. They kept the man stable in his power, strong enough to withstand any force and apply that force to everything he did.
Anakin didn’t have the strength.
But he did have speed and agility that had never been possible for Vader.
Each of his strikes came in quick succession, forcing Luke to push his own strength and speed. They came from multiple directions, flinging forward and swinging downward. His movements were precise and trained in him from a young age, and his emotions leaked through to it.
It was harder to fight Anakin than it was to fight Vader.
Anakin was so unlike the Sith Lord, so completely different.
But he wasn’t the only person that was different.
At twenty-three years old, he had defeated Vader.
Now in his thirties, he could take on his father.
Years of his life had been devoted to the Jedi Way. Meditation had become a mainstay in his mornings, his evenings, his dreams. They had drawn him closer to the Force and pushed him to discover its ways. He had dropped into visions and followed the stars, he had tasted the reaches of far space and felt the future in his fingers. His connection to the Force had only strengthened over the years, growing more powerful as he searched to rebuild what had been lost.
Not only that, he had practiced katas until his muscles were jello and his stomach hungered. He had dragged open his memories, rerunning and redoing everything that Yoda had taught him. Pushing the forms into his mind and muscles, embedding them into his soul, before turning to another source. At some point, he had turned to other blade wielders to learn even more… so that he could teach Din all that he could.
Luke jumped forward as his father left an opening and pushed his kick toward the man’s chest. The Force swung through it and jolted at the end of his foot, slamming into his father’s chest and sending the man flying. His saber flew through the air as he rolled across the ground. Then the man twisted his body into a flip, throwing himself back to his feet.
His saber! Luke reached through the Force, grabbing onto the object and summoning it closer.
But then an invisible hand fell across his chest and shoved him back, digging its nails into his chest. He struggled against it as the saber clattered to the ground, throwing one of his hands to claw at the feeling spreading through him. Fear crept in the back corner as his air slowly cut away.
His eyes slid back to his father as the man stalked closer, his hand outreached as it kept him in place. His other hand swept across the floor and his saber flew back into it. The blue arched to life as he swished it, lowering it toward the floor.
It flashed red in Luke’s vision, bleeding into memories that were creeping forward. Darth Vader’s voice echoed through his ears and his hands gripped at his heart, squeezing and squeezing. Screams of ties flew past him as the cold surfaces through, and the Sith Lord stalked closer on the crosswalk.
Blue plasma rose in the air as Anakin appeared before him and struck.
Luke’s chest tightened as he watched the blue swing toward him.
Silver glinted past him and slammed into the taller man, the blue arc vanishing as colors merged together and flew to the side. The impact caught in the air as his father’s breath spilled out in front of him and his body was torn away, forced to roll across the office’s floor once again.
The hand that held Luke in place fell away and his feet pressed back into the ground, his boots supporting him as he regained his balance and sucked in a deep breath of air. His throat groaned and screamed in protest as he moved forward, staring toward the two figures sprawled across the floor.
His husband’s beskar gleamed as he pushed himself up, leaning back onto his knees as his chest pulled in breaths. He braced himself on one hand, his other traveling to his blaster, as Anakin stumbled to his feet and struck out through the Force.
Inscinted pushed Luke forward and his hand shot out, an invisible wall of beskar falling between his husband and the Jedi Knight. It caught the attack from his father and wrapped around it, holding it in place as the two battled for dominance.
“Mando!” Luke shouted and reached out again, dragging his husband backward and to his feet.
The Mandalorian looked at him, amusement pooling from his armor before he turned back to their opponent. His hand shifted to his belt and pulled a dark rectangle from his side. With a flick, the Darksaber leaped to life and glinted in the air.
Anakin glowered at them both, looking between both their sabers.
Then he called his back to his hand, lighting it up and raising it.
“Come on!” He shouted. “Fight me!”
---
Fire tore through each of his muscles and blacked the white of his bones. The movements hissed through him and screamed with pain, the tenderness pulling and pushing. Cody’s body fought against him as his General pushed him out of the way, defending him as the Red Guards attacked.
Love attacked his brain as he watched the man stand over him, using the Force to push away his opponents or his saber to tear their staffs apart. Some insatiable part of his mind caught onto the picture, promising himself to remember always, but a larger part screamed in agony.
Guilt poured through his limbs as he struggled to move them, lead covered them whole and anchored him to the floor. His heart wailed as his thoughts echoed in his mind, screaming and shouting, kicking and punching.
Get up, get up, get up, get up.
But they wouldn’t move, his limbs were stiffened boards that would not break.
Or were they?
Distantly, a memory waded forth as he struggled to move, as he demanded his muscles to work. It whispered in his ear and dragged at his consciousness, pulling for his attention. A hand had grabbed his shoulder, tucking him into a larger body that towered over him. The pain had scarred his mind, dragging over his muscles, a day's worth of torture training to kill a part of his cadet-old soul.
No matter how much pain you’re in, you can go on. An older voice had said, his oldest brother, his buir, his Alpha-17. You are unbreakable, Kote. You will not give up, because your brothers will not give up.
There was a scar on Fox’s face.
There were lightning scars choking his throat.
And still, he had worked, spending hours as a Marshal Commander completing his duty to the Republic. And then he had worked more, spending his free hours as a brother, investigating the corruption around them.
Cody’s fingers twitched around his spare blaster, dragging it from his hip and his other hand forced him to stand. The world swayed beneath him and wobbled in his vision, but he raised his hands and looked to his General.
A Red Guard darted at Obi-Wan’s back, staff raised to stab through the man’s heart.
The bolt pierced through his hood and spattered into his head, the guts of his brain exploding before he hit the floor.
The Jedi whirled around, eyes wide. “Cody?”
“Got your back,” Cody rasped, “Obi-Wan.”
Adrenaline shot through his muscles and burned away the pain as he moved forward, ducking into the fight and slamming his fist against another Guard.
His training pushed him to the next steps and centered him through his movements. He pulled moves that he hadn’t in a long time and slammed his opponents against each other. Bones broke beneath his feet and hands, his skull burned as he slammed his helmet against their thin red masks. Energy took over his body, his experience turning wild as he shook apart his thoughts and fell into the movements.
Kamino had crafted him into the perfect weapon, it had taught him how to kill and dispose. He knew how to leave bodies more rugged and degraded than when they arrived, the blood still pumping through them.
He didn’t like being a weapon, he didn’t like being a killer.
But he appreciated being able to fight, to protect, and to survive.
His back brushed against Obi-Wan’s as the fight drew them together. He lowered his blaster as the blue arches from the Jedi’s lightsaber flared around them, creating a protective barrier between them and their opponents.
“Doing alright?” Obi-Wan asked.
Cody smirked. “Would be doing better if there were less of them.”
“Well, let’s see what we can do about that.”
Then Obi-Wan lunged away from him, leaving a cold that crawled up his spine. A yelp filled the room as he shoved with the Force, a Red Guard thrown through the air and smashing through the window. His screams vanished as he fell from sight.
Cody ducked away from the scene and attacked another Guard, sending them crashing to the ground after bashing their skull with the butt of his blaster. He wove between his opponents, and his enemies, and tore them apart.
Everything that had held him back before vanished as he pushed forward and fought, kicking and punching his way. The pain had fallen to the back burner, the aches in his mind had vanished, and his guilt had drizzled dry.
He was here, fighting and fighting.
For his brother, for his General, for his future.
But then his instincts lashed out, latching on to the void of noise that had followed him.
Obi-Wan’s lightsaber clattered to the ground at his feet as he swung around.
A Red Guard’s arm strangled Obi-Wan’s neck, feet away from and dragging further. The muscles bulged through his robe and he pulled the Jedi closer to him. Even the fingers that pulled at his arm couldn’t make him let go, his eyes glared through his mask, as he rose to his full height.
Obi-Wan’s feet barely grazed the floor.
The corners of his vision filled with red as the remaining Guards surrounded them. Their boots slammed against the ground as they readjusted their weapons and leaned into stances.
“Surrender or he dies!” One screamed at him.
Panic rose through his throat as he stared at the Red Guard, thoughts overflowing as he tried to plan and scheme.
There has to be a way out.
There has to be a way to save him.
Obi-Wan…
“Here!” Obi-Wan’s hand rose and pressed against his forehead, his eyes locking on him. “Here, trust me.”
Cody pushed the panic away from his chest, shoving it below and focusing on his training. He raised his blaster further, finger twitching on the trigger before falling steady. Calm rained through him, his training taking over, and his instincts bleeding out.
He trusted Obi-Wan.
The trigger squeezed beneath his finger and the bolt screamed to life, speeding toward Obi-Wan’s head.
But the Jedi General jolted his head and brushed a hand in front of him. The Force awakened as it deflected the bolt away from him, saving the man from any harm.
Instead, the bolt passed by him and exploded against the mask of the man holding him. Arms fell limp as the man fell backward, his body slamming against the ground. The impact echoed across the room and grunts accompanied the aftermath.
Cody twisted his body, pointing to the next Red Guard with his blaster, and glared.
“Who else wants a bolt through their brain?”
---
Din wasn’t great at lightsaber combat, but he had gotten good enough to survive when others made him their opponent. He had fought Bo’Katan and Paz, beating them to the ground to prove his worth, and then countless other Mandalorians who had to be convinced. The heaviness that accompanied his saber had flown away as he worked through his life, as he learned to wield it.
When he had first met his husband, he had tried to ignore the piece on his belt. Getting rid of the thing had been all he had desired, but had chosen him and it was not letting go. It had gripped onto him, finding its way back to him, and had slowed him as he fled across the galaxy.
It was in his nightmares, until his husband had looked at it and said, “Let me teach you how to use that, I could use your help when searching temples.”
That had been the start of a long and perilous journey, one that had taught him many things.
He fell into place beside his husband and moved in tandem. His training took over his hands and legs, guiding him to work alongside a partner. He sprung forward, attacking when his husband defended and threw distractions when his husband hesitated. They moved together as they had learned to, winding together like strings.
Din knew his husband’s weakness, and Luke knew his.
They were each other's strength.
Luke punched out in the Force as Din stepped back, blocking a swing from Anakin. The scream of the sabers hissed as they met, but it didn’t keep Anakin from ducking away from Luke’s hit. He danced around them as he spun his blade, catching their blades as they bared down on him.
If Din didn’t hate the man, he would have admitted that he was impressed.
Then his lung squeezed and his throat burned, blood exploded across his tongue as he froze in his spot. Din choked for air as he glared through his visor, pushing hate and fury toward the man as his stomach twisted and twisted. Anakin glared back at him before twisting the hand that wielded his saber, swinging it through the air, and grabbing onto the Force around Luke.
Din’s stomach screamed as his husband was flung through the air and slammed into Palpatine’s desk. His head bashed against the edge, cracking the wood down the middle. Luke’s body rolled to the floor, arms sprawling across him, and legs bending. The awkward angle hid any sight of the man, except for the blood that was beginning to stain the floor.
Above him, Palpatine let out an annoying yelp and cowered back into his chair. His hands hid his face, but his eyes looked out with a wide shine.
Panic ripped through Din as he looked back to his husband, the man still not moving. His chest was screaming, but he was torn away from the sight as Anakin turned to him. The man swished his blade before darting forward and swinging it at him.
It bounced off the beskar of his arm.
I can move! Din heaved and jolted backward.
The Jedi Knight attacked again and swung toward his shoulder, only to glide off as it hit beskar once again.
“So, that is real beskar?” Anakin huffed, brows furrowing. “I thought my blade was bouncing off of you before…”
Din swung, his fist smashing into Anakin’s jaw.
The man yelped and scrambled to the side, grabbing onto his jaw and glaring. “Did you just punch me?”
The Force brushed against Din’s armor, sliding over the beskar and rippling against it. The familiar touch sent him forward, reminding him of the one thing that most Jedi weren’t great at.
Hand-to-hand combat.
The man yelled as he tackled him and pinned him to the floor, slamming the back of his head against the carpet. He grappled as the man kicked and pushed, squirming beneath him and calling for the Force. The air swung around him as he swung an arm back and forward, his fist slamming into the man’s nose. Then again, slamming against the man’s cheek.
“Get off of me!” Anakin spat through blood, catching the Force and shoving Din backward.
The office whirled around him, bleeding with colors of red and orange. He hit the ground a moment later as the ceiling looked down at him, his shoulders aching, but his instincts screamed danger into his gut. The feeling sent electricity down his bones, adrenaline into his arms, and he rolled to his knees.
Blaster in hand, he aimed at Anakin and began to fire. The bolts slammed into the man’s saber and jolted across the room. They deflected back toward him but bounced off of his beskar.
Annoyance played across the man’s forehead before he began to stalk forward.
A flash of green arched in the corner of his visor.
Relief flooded through his stomach as he caught the sight of his husband, the man standing tall and raising his saber. The screeches of his saber arched through the air as he turned away from them, facing the real threat that was hiding in the room.
Palpatine stared up at Luke, lips drawing back into a sneer.
“Hey!” Anakin screamed and reached out.
Luke flew backward, down the steps of the platform.
His feet skimmed the ground as he whirled, his arm lashing out and throwing the Force back at his father. The light hit his face as he turned, revealing the mess of blood that poured from a cut across his forehead. It dripped down his brows, sliding into his eyes, and hugged the crook of his nose. Finally, the path of blood dripped from his lips and chin, hitting the floor in droplets.
Luke’s eyes had fallen closed, squeezed shut as he raised his lightsaber and refocused his grip. He shifted on his feet as his body turned toward his father.
My husband has always fought best when blind, Din thought, ner riduur.
Then his husband darted forward, faster than before, and struck out. His movements became more agile, his body letting loose as he used the Force to guide each of his movements. Each attack grew faster, more ferocious, with the strikes creating loud impacts and his feet bouncing off the floors and walls.
The ferocity was met equally by Anakin. Concentration appeared across his face as he swept through, pulling off complicated skills and movements. His back fell toward Din, his burning attention ripped away.
He could breathe, just for a moment.
But he had something more important to do.
Din’s gaze slid away from the fight, turning to the middle of the office. Palpatine gripped the edges of his chair, leaving forward with a smile that crept toward his eyes and revealed his teeth. He licked his lips as his eyes bore toward Anakin and Luke.
Beskar hides you. Luke had once said. It’s difficult to notice you in the Force.
The space between him and the Sith Lord grew smaller, his feet pulling him over the floor. His boots softened the impact of his feet, taking away the sound that would give him away. His blaster found its way to his hand, the grip tight and the metal heavy.
The safety flicked off with a loud snap as he raised it to the man’s head, pressing it into his temple.
---
There was a scream, then everything turned dark. Blood rained through the Force and blanketed him, rot and death rising to tickle his nose. His stomach shriveled and his heart fell flat, fear creeping into him as anger faded into the background.
Anakin turned as the darkness was replaced by flashing lights, arches of lightning that bounced off of beskar. Everything bore down on him as he realized, as he realized…
The Mandalorian screamed.
“No!” Luke screamed and swung out, his hand gripping the air.
The Force slammed into Palpatine, sending him flying back into his chair. His lightning vanished as he croaked, groaning out of his throat and glaring with bright yellow eyes.
“You’re…” Anakin whispered. “You lied.”
Palpatine’s eyes met him, a sneer catching his cheeks.
Beams of light rippled around Obi-Wan as he continued to fight mountains of Red Guards, but his flames rose around him as he glared over his shoulder. His thoughts screamed down the bond, You believe me now?
Anakin stared back at his former Master, annoyance on the back of his tongue before he turned to the other Jedi. Luke took a deep breath, his hand outstretched as he held Palpatine back from the Mandalorian.
“I’m sorry,” Anakin told him.
Luke’s head tilted, blood slid down his cheek. “I know.”
“Truce?” He asked.
The Jedi glared back at Palpatine, his lips drawing backward in a sneer. “Help me kill this fucker and I’ll think about it.”
The ripple of anger that flowed through the Force slammed into him. It throttled around the man, enclosing his throat and screaming with reds. It crawled up the back of his head, its parasitic hands trembling over his ears and hair. The anger, the hate had been intertwined in Luke’s words, threatening to overtake him, but then he stepped forward.
All of it vanished. It slid out from his shoulders and dumped to the floor, left behind. It disintegrated into dust.
“Get Mando.” Luke raised his saber.
Anakin nodded. “Alright.”
The Jedi Master sprung forward as twin arcs of light appeared, drenched in blood and sizzling with death. Palpatine met his attack as the Dark Side wrapped around his arms.
The screams of sabers and bolts echoed around Anakin as he rushed forward. His limbs jolted him as he landed next to the Mandalorian and kneeled down. Strings of energy floated from scorched marks of armor, nearly hiding the thrumming warmth beneath. It shivered as he ran a hand across it, his shoulders sagging.
The Force worked with him as he wrapped it around the man and slid him away from the fight. A groan rolled through and his arms quivered as he pushed him to the far wall, gently landing in the space nearest the entryway. Mando’s consciousness slowly peppered back to life, but he was already turning away.
Energy swarmed through him as the Force shifted and pulled at his limbs. He stepped forward and sank into it, feeling the pins of light catch him and connect to his limbs. They guided him through the movements as he joined the fight, his saber lighting and slamming into red.
A feeling pulled at his side and he moved with it, shifting as Luke suddenly jolted into the space and struck at the Sith Lord.
Then it struck Anakin, more than it had before.
Of course, he had already realized that Luke was relying on the Force to see.
But it was more than that, he was using it to guide himself: his movements, his attacks, his blocks. It told him where everything was, but it told him when to strike, where to stand, when to defend, and what others would do too.
The connection flowed through the man, tethering him to everything and everyone.
Just as the Force is.
And Anakin felt it now.
The Force twisted him to the side and whispered in his ear, pushing him to attack or pulling him away. His feet glided over the spaces and sprung forward, his body sank into the tethered moment and harnessed it. He pushed through the motions and learned.
Everything he needed to know would come from the Force, but what to do with that information was up to him.
He swung his saber as his fighting partner dodged another attack. His muscles ached as he moved forward, swinging and blocking. His moments had grown faster, matching the speed that Luke was setting, and they dragged into dangerous areas as they grew closer while parrying blows or switching places.
Each of them was guided by the Force now, dragging them into their places and tethering them together. They were working as one, but it was difficult to think as one. Their teamwork was still choppy.
“Sorry!” Luke yelped as he dipped by, his hair nearly cleaved off as Anakin lashed forward at Palpatine.
Anakin snorted. “Stick to your side!”
“Easier said than done!” The Jedi Master retorted and swung at Palpatine, blocking an attack.
The conversation jolted something through the Dark Side, its tendrils spreading out and wrapping around the walls. Decaying flesh slid across Anakin’s face, slithering into his skin. He gagged, pushing forward.
His next blow filled with power, was driven by the Force and slammed against Palpatine’s saber.
“They’ll never accept you!” The man cried as he stepped back, staggering. “You’re a horrible Jedi, you’ve told me yourself!”
Anakin gritted his teeth and swung down again, putting as much power into the strike as he could. “Shut up!”
Palpatine deflected the blow to the side, the Dark Side jumping out from his signature. “He has a wife! He broke the Jedi code!”
“Who cares?” Luke slashed forward at the man, the tip of his saber scorching through the man’s fingers. The chancellor screamed as one of his lightsabers bounced away and his fingers dropped to the floor.
Something in Anakin’s heart cracked at the words, at the way the Jedi disregarded the fact and flew forward. He seemed so certain of what he said as he fought the Sith Lord.
“He nearly murdered an entire group of people!” Palpatine hissed, pulling his hand to himself and raising his last saber. “Tuskens, on Tatooine!”
This time, neither of them replied as Luke jolted forward and slammed his saber against Palpatine’s. The colors exploded into light, hissing, as Anakin swung his saber up. It cut through the man’s bicep, sizzling the bones and muscles. His hand immediately dropped his second saber.
Screams leaped from Palpatine’s throat as he staggered backward and the Dark Side exploded, circling around him. It raged and spat cold and darkness, fear creeping over their skins and spreading the smell of decay. It worked into their clothes as the man hit the ground, glaring up at them.
“He’s nearly a Sith himself, he’s used the power of the Dark Side!” He screamed again.
Luke froze and Anakin’s heart screeched, staring at the man and waiting. Fear swept through his stomach as the second grew longer.
Then the man sighed, stepping closer to the Sith Lord and towering over him. “So have I.”
Disbelief flew through the Force and trickled from the Dark Side at the man’s words, but he stood firm as the blood dripped down his face and soaked the carpet. If his eyes had been open, Anakin imagined that he would have been glaring.
But it didn’t matter.
The Sith Lord screamed. “I’ll kill you!”
Lightning branched from the man’s fingers and jolted forward. It arched through the air before racing down and covering Luke’s body. The man screamed and dropped, falling backward off the steps and rolling to the floor. Pain erupted through the Force and exploded across it, searing into Anakin’s skin and soul.
He felt himself break from the inside as the man screamed. The windows of the office shook and cracked.
He had expected the man to move out of the way, to dart from the position, but he had frozen in his place. It was as if someone had paused a video, keeping him from running away and saving himself.
Fear leaped through Anakin’s throat and his bones moved, his heart pumping as his thoughts took over.
Save him! Save him!
He swung out with his saber, closing his eyes as the plasma blade made the connection with the Sith Lord’s neck. The Dark Side screamed through his ears and past his bones, whining into oblivion. Its voice tempered away, squealing into a quiet whisper.
Anakin’s eye slid open and passed over the ground, his stomach curling as the figure that lay limp beneath his feet. A saber screamed in the background, blaster fire accompanying it, but his thoughts zeroed in on the head. Lifeless eyes stared up at him, drenched in yellow, stained for a lifetime, and mouth agape. Skin sizzled along Palpatine’s neck, the saber’s cut had cauterized the wound as it slid through, leaving the smell of cooked flesh and burning bones.
The sight kicked at his chest and he tore his eyes away, catching onto his former Master and the relief that was pumping through their bond. Despite himself, he sunk into the bond and begged his master to be over with his fight, to live through this.
Obi-Wan’s blade arched through red armor as Cody’s bolts rained past him.
“He’s gone,” Luke whispered.
Anakin looked back at the man. “Master Djarin?”
“Gone,” Luke said again, "He's gone."
The Jedi Master staggered backward and collapsed to the floor, his hands catching him as his eyes stared at the body in front of him. The sounds quieted around them, blaster fire dying away and a saber disigniting.
A flash of silver was at Luke’s side before Anakin could move.
“Ner riduur,” the Mandalorian asked, “Are you okay?”
The words went over his head, the foreign language drifting through his ears but not filtering through his mind, but he could see the tenderness in the man’s actions. His fingers scraped over Luke’s forehead, wiping away the blood that was trickling and drying. They swept over the Jedi’s eyes, revealing the blue iris that blinked open and squinted at the world.
The Jedi smiled, but before he could reply, another voice shouted.
“You’re married?” Cody’s arms jumped to his helmet, ripping the piece of armor off. “Married?”
Anakin raised his hands, ready to defend himself as he turned to the clone commander, but stilled as the man stalked toward the two figures kneeling on the ground. Disbelief and frustration rippled from the man, but they were overshadowed by the taste of light and amusement that beamed forward.
Somehow, Cody was happy that they were married.
“I’m not the only married Jedi?” Anakin muttered.
His master’s gaze locked in on him, shoulders falling and his eyes softening. “Anakin… oh, padawan mine…”
Luke laughed, bringing the attention back to him as he looked up at the commander and Jedi Master. “Well, it has been a year or so, but yes, we’re very happily married.”
“I just lost so many bets to Wolffe and my men,” Cody said. “Including you, Anakin.”
Anakin’s attention snapped to the commander, confusion welling through his mind. “What?”
“Everyone knew that you and Amidala were together,” Obi-Wan answered him, sighing again, “But married?”
“I… I’m sorry, Master…” Anakin tried.
Obi-Wan gave him a look, frustration, and amusement flooding from him. “We can talk more about it later when I’m not so upset that you didn’t invite me to the wedding.”
Surprise hooked itself into Anakin’s heart, followed by the refreshing kiss of relief. His shoulders sagged as he looked at his Master, as he felt assurance and love flow through the bond between him.
It was broken when the Mandalorian asked, “Can we go to the medbay now?”
---
A sheet had been pulled around the bed, separating them from the room. Privacy thrived within their bounds and Luke’s husband took advantage of that. His armor sat at the foot of the bed, his flight suit open as he pressed the edges of bacta patches. Each one met a grimace and a roll of annoyance through the Force.
Scars curled up his wrists, branching out across the skin in white against tan. They would dull over time, fade on the edges like Luke’s had, and possibly disappear. He was lucky that they were only accompanied by thin cuts, keeping the scars to a minimum.
Luke raised his hand, pressing his fingers against Din’s wrist. He outlined the scars, tracing them with his fingertips.
“Want me to do that for you too?” Din asked.
“Trace my scars?” Luke asked.
His husband glanced up at him. “I’ve done that before.”
A chuckle snorted out of Luke’s throat, his head ducking as he looked at his own bacta patches. They traced up his arms and across his back, a few sticking to spots on his legs. The one plastered against his forehead was leaking a chemical smell.
“Nothing happened.” Din reached forward, fingertips falling onto scratches circling around his bicep. “We killed him, but nothing happened.”
Luke swallowed and sighed, “I was afraid that would happen.”
“What do you mean?” His husband’s voice grew softer, rasping through the modulator.
Fear crept through Luke’s heart, cold and sharp. He took a breath as he looked down, gaze drifting over his husband's fingers.
“I was afraid that it was only one thing we had to do, that more would be required of us,” Luke admitted.
“Like what?”
“Help end the war, fix the corruption…” Luke listed and looked up, staring through Din’s visor.
His husband stared, but his fingers squeezed Luke’s arms and his thumbs ran over his skin. The Force twitched in the background, sinking into them with hooks as his husband leaned closer.
“I miss Grogu,” Din finally said.
Tears pulled at Luke’s eyes, tugging at his heart as the Force spiraled around the planet. He leaned in and whispered, “I do too, I do too…”
An arm wrapped at him, Din pulled him to his side and tucked him under his arm. His helmet pressed against Luke’s head, pushing his hair into a bunch. Love wafted from his husband and dove into him, clutching onto his heart and feeding his soul. It shoved through the sorrow and longing that filled him.
“We’ll figure it out together… we will,” Din said.
Luke sobbed, whispering, “ Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar’tome, mhi me’dinui an, mhi be’juri verde. ”
As his voice cracked over the last words, his forehead pushed against Din’s helmet and his eyes fell closed.
“ Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar’tome, mhi me’dinui an, mhi be’juri verde ,” Din whispered and tugged him closer. He pressed the side of his helmet against Luke’s cheek, spreading a refreshing cold that spilled across his nose and neck.
The Force pulled at Luke’s thoughts and pushed colors across his eyes. Blue streaks appeared and raced, screaming around him in the symphony of hyperspace. The cold touched his shoulder before falling away and fading, crossing past him.
His husband brought him out of his thoughts. “Help me with my armor?”
“Always,” Luke answered.
---
Obi-Wan leaned back against the medical bay wall, eyes caught onto the scene in front of him. Cody leaned back in his bed, his lips pulled back and his nose scrunched up as Fox leaned over him. The Guard Commander spit curses and insults as he looked at the bacta patches covering his brother, ignoring the other brother with them. The three brothers bickered with each other, voices rising in the room and echoing across the walls.
“Did you not trust me, vod?” Rex finally asked.
A sigh rolled out of Cody’s throat, tickling the amusement rising in Obi-Wan’s stomach. “It wasn’t that, vod’ika, it was more a matter of time and ability.”
Light flashed across Rex’s eyes, the understanding clashing against the annoyance as his shoulders shifted and his lips softened. He leaned forward and raised an eyebrow.
“He’s lying,” Fox said, casting a smirk toward his brothers, “He means he wanted to protect you, on top of not having time or ability.”
Rex’s brows raised, his voice rising. “I’m not a cadet anymore!”
Cody snorted and grabbed his brother’s shoulder, squeezing. “You’re right, but you’re still my vod’ika.”
A groan left the younger clone, his eyes rolling as he glared toward his brothers. He crossed his arms as he sat back, fingers clutching his biceps. The indignation rose in the air, tickling Obi-Wan’s nose.
A loud chuckle left his lips before he could stop himself, his lips pulling at his cheeks and he watched the men. He met Cody’s eyes, mirroring the calm presence that came over them.
“The council calling you?” Cody asked him.
He sighed, “Of course, they want a report.”
“Already?” Fox grumbled as silent laughter rose through the Force, circling around Cody. Relief fluttered after that, settling in between the two men and sighing.
A question rose in Obi-Wan’s mind, but he waved it away as the three brothers leaned into each other and laughed. Love and amusement were contagious, circling around them and sprouting across the surfaces. It swayed the reasons and tensions that filled his soul, scoring it away for another moment, for a time when he could allow it.
“The sooner, the more accurate my memory,” Obi-Wan finally answered, “We’ll be discussing more than what occurred.”
“What else?” Rex’s head snapped to him.
He glanced at Fox, the man’s eyes narrowing for a moment before understanding circled around him. He snorted and leaned into Cody, crossing his arms.
“How we’re going to go about the corruption of the senate,” Obi-Wan answered, “And I plan to propose that once the war ends… the temple makes a strong effort to cut ties with the Republic.”
Shock shot through the Force, reverberating through the air and slamming into him. He smiled at the two men staring at him, the way that Fox’s disbelief licked at the shock and Rex’s confusion waded through it.
Cody snorted and slid further into his bed, shuffling to get comfortable. This wasn’t something he hadn’t heard before.
“The senate has too much control over the Jedi, it is affecting everything that we do,” Obi-Wan explained, “Affecting our teachings, our lives, our responsibilities, for the worse.”
Eyes flickered around him, thoughts floated into the air and strung across the Force. It grew tighter as Rex asked, “So, you want to separate?”
“Yes, but, it won’t be simple and there are a lot of things to consider,” He replied, “Like the lives of all your men, your brothers.”
Gratitude sprung forward and circled around Obi-Wan as he smiled at the men. Relaxation slowly crept into each of the men, the droning motions of the medical bay working into them. Fox’s lips softened and his side leaned back against Cody’s bed, elbows digging into the cushions next to his brother’s leg. Rex leaned back in his own chair, glancing back toward his brothers.
“Thank you,” Fox said.
Obi-Wan smiled. “Don’t thank me yet.”
“Get going then,” Cody challenged him, “Don’t be late.”
“When am I ever?” He chuckled, before stepping away.
The journey to the Jedi Temple rolled past him, his thoughts too preoccupied to remember the path and directions that he had taken. His emotions rose above him and scored past his tongue, leaving a taste of blood and sorrow. Anxiety was filtering through, he had realized with a breath. It drove through him as he realized that now, his present, was dealing with the fallout of killing a Sith Lord.
A Sith Lord that had changed and manipulated everything, who had planted seeds across the Senate and the planets in the galaxy. If that hadn’t been enough, he had helped fund the millions of droids that his men were responsible for fighting, that his men had died because.
And he had the gall to pretend to be nice to him, to his brother, to his friends.
The emotions and thoughts clung to him as stepped into the middle of the Council Room, taking in the many figures that surrounded him and their signatures in the Force. Most members were missing, occupied by their places on the front lines, but a few still remained.
They looked at him as he stepped up, worrying clouding through before simmering to the floor.
“Palpatine was the Sith Lord whom we were looking for.” He pulled his holoprojector out. It jumped to life, spitting the image of two sabers circling each other. “These sabers are evidence, along with medical accounts of numerous people attacked with Force lightning, of his power.”
The questions began and bombarded him, dragging him back through the day and the horrors that had occurred. He recounted the events that had taken place, leaving out the emotions that had coursed through him and the fear that had threatened him. His voice leveled as he answered every query, explained the details, and brought out Palpatine’s true identity.
Relief filled the Force, but apprehension followed it. So many things had happened in only a few hours, things that would change the course of history.
“Now that he’s dead, we must turn to the war,” Windu sighed.
Fisto glanced at the man, exhaustion leaking from him as he sighed, “Right, it’s not over yet.”
“About that…” Obi-Wan motioned Thorn closer as small amounts of grays circled him, anxiety creeping through him. “We will be fighting a battle on the front lines as well as at home.”
The commander cleared his throat as all eyes turned to him, his hands latching behind his back and helmet tilting upward.
“The Coruscant Guard has begun investigations into the Senate for separatist connections, stemming from connections to Palpatine,” He said, “Normally, CorSec would be favored for this investigation, but due to the connection to the war and the livelihood of clones, we have taken over.”
“Trust the Guard more, I do,” Yoda stated with a tap of his cane, “CorSec corrupted too, I think.”
“That does bring another matter to the table.” Obi-Wan looked at the Grandmaster, his stomach attaching to the tension growing around them. “The Guard will be in charge of clearing corruption away, but they must have backing from us because they are not considered sentient by law.”
Cold rested over the floor as his words traveled around the room. Each member already knew the law, but none liked to confront it so directly.
Bilaba spoke first, her eyes softening as she looked to Thorn, “I believe that is reasonable.”
“As do I,” Windu agreed.
The clone commander’s head swiveled, swinging between the two Jedi Masters. Shock and awe exploded into the Force, his voice cracking as he asked, “Really?”
“Release dual statements, we will.” Yoda gripped his cane and smiled. “Taking over the investigation and how they will conduct it, the Coruscant Guard will discuss. Backed by the Jedi, they are.”
“My men are already putting together a statement,” Thorn said.
Windu looked at him. “Report directly to me the status of the statement, I will conduct an official statement to be put out.”
“Is there another subject to discuss, Obi-Wan?” Shaak Ti turned to him, her blue form flickering as she shifted in her spot.
“There are two.” His fingers brushed against the hair of his beard. “Firstly, Kamino has been placing control chips within all clones. My CMO, Helix, will send the evidence, schematics, and more information, to you all on the subject. The basic understanding you need is that the chips can be used to control troopers, wipe their memories, and leave them without any autonomy.”
Discomfort and anger shot through the Force and mixed into an abundance of shock. The metallic taste lingered over his mouth as the Council members turned to each other, words jumping through them and casting through the motions. Justices and ideas tugged at his heart, guiding his eyes to Shaak Ti.
Though he could not feel her shock in the Force, he could see the narrowing of her eyes and the way her fingers curled into her palm.
She spoke, her voice strained, “I was not aware of this.”
“We discovered it yesterday,” he told her, “My Commander volunteered to have his removed.”
“Successful, was it?” Yoda asked.
“Yes, nothing has changed.” He thought back to Cody, the glee that had passed through him when Palpatine’s order failed. “He is being watched carefully by Helix.”
“This chip must be removed from all troopers then,” Bilaba said, “It is a danger to all of society.”
“Agreed, but how could we possibly do that?” Fisto leaned forward, hands gesturing. “There are over a million men.”
“Kenobi, have you any idea?” Shaak Ti asked.
“No, I don’t and I think it would be best discussed after more information is made available,” he admitted, before adding, “The Coruscant Guard should be de-chipped first, nevertheless, because they will face the dangers of corruption where it likely sprouted.”
Shock rained through Thorn’s signature again, his head snapping between the Councils once again. The man’s arms tightened around his back, his shoulders rising. Before he could speak, another member spoke.
“We will gather the Commanders,” Windu announced, “And discuss how to move forward.”
“What was the other point that you wanted to make, Obi-Wan?” Bilaba asked.
“When this war ends,” he answered, “It is paramount that the Jedi Order separate from the Senate. We all have spoken of the power that the Republic holds over us and the positions that it has put us in, and how it has affected our lives on an intricate level. Yet, we have made no move to leave… I will personally look into how it would be possible for us to do so, along with gaining clones sentient rights.”
And, he thought to himself, Maybe I can change how you all see attachments… demonstrate the difference between possession and love.
---
Padme’s apartment was several stories up, roughly a twenty-minute walk away from the Senate Building but a thirty-minute walk from the medical bay. Anakin walked the entire way, dodging past people and eyeing the occasional speeder that whizzed past. Bruises ached across his joints and muscles, his nose stung.
Helix had cleared him, an unimpressed look in his eyes as he said, “I’m notifying Kix that you have a minor concussion, light work only.”
“Please, I’ll tell him,” Anakin had said.
“No, you won’t.”
Medics were annoying and stubborn, but Anakin did appreciate them. Sometimes.
But Helix had let him leave and Anakin had gripped onto the Force, feeling it ripple around him and wind against his chest. It circled around him as he walked, ticking and ticking. He listened for a moment, before pushing it out of his mind and focusing on the road ahead.
Soon enough, he found himself standing outside his wife’s apartment and waiting for the door to slide open. Over the years, security measures had been pushed to the limit by her handmaidens. They constantly were adding new gadgets and gizmos that sometimes even gave him a headache. But after numerous assassination attempts on his wife, he couldn’t say that he didn’t like them. He’d rather that they be there for her sake than not.
Finally, the door beeped and slid open.
He stepped inside and followed the hallway, sliding into the living room that opened wide. Sunlight poured through the sharp windows, angling toward the couches that curled around the middle. His eyes caught onto the woman in the middle, her hair flowing across her shoulders and a red dress hanging to her body.
“Padme,” he called.
She looked up and smiled, the floor rushing past her as she darted forward. Her body collided against his, arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him down. Warmth leaped between them and hung tight to their bodies.
The Force grew heavier, whispering in his ear.
“Are you alright?” Padme pulled out his arms and reached up, her fingers ghosting over his face and smoothing the edges of his nose.
Anakin leaned into the touch, catching her eyes. “I am now.”
“Is Obi-Wan okay?” She asked.
“He is.”
“So you made it to him in time.” Padme leaned back, letting her hand drop to his shoulder. She smiled softly, the Force spiraling around them. “I was so worried when he didn’t come back.”
Her hands slipped to his hands as she stepped toward one of the couches. Silently, she coaxed him to join her as she sunk into the cushions. She rested her shoulder against his, eyes turning to stare up at him.
“What happened?” She asked. “They’re saying Palpatine is dead.”
“He is,” he admitted, “It turns out that he was the Sith Lord.”
“No, no…” Her eyes grew wide and she turned away from him.
His heart ached as she stared toward the wall, emotions flowing through her eyes and leaking into the air around her. He could taste the disbelief in the air, he could feel betrayal and guilt rolling off of her.
“Palpatine?” She asked, the Force pulled. “Really?”
He swallowed, nodding, “Yes.”
“Ani…”
He pulled her close to him as her shoulders began to shake. Arms wrapped around her, his Force signature falling across her as if a shield. Her head was tucked underneath his jaw and her face was buried in his neck. Each shuddered breath tickled his collarbone, settling with heat.
“I know,” he finally said, “But it’s not our fault, we didn’t know… how could we know?”
“He helped me so much…” She whispered, guilt bleeding across her words.
Anakin grimaced, his eyes squeezing shut as her words kindled the flames within him. “And he helped me too, but it was just a lie.”
“He… he used us.” Padme scoffed and her shoulders raised, eyes flashing to the side. “Unbelievable, he… what a pathetic greaseball!”
The fire burning in her eyes could have warmed him for a thousand days and then some, she could have powered his soul for the rest of his life with that look. Her brows crinkled as her lips pursed, mirroring the feeling that welled within his chest and had found a home in his stomach.
“He’s dead,” he told her, “I killed him.”
Padme’s eyes widened before they flickered to him, the string of Force tightening further again. “Good, because I would have killed him myself if you hadn’t.”
A thousand other thoughts were working through her mind, surfacing into her shoulders and the tilt of her lips. Thinking toward the future, the next steps, the justice that she and the people of the galaxy deserved. Each thought trickled through and pounded through his heart, seeping into his mind.
Anakin breathed, staring at her. “Padme, can I kiss you?”
She stared up at him and smiled. “Please, do.”
The Force grew brighter, stronger in his senses, and tighter around his chest. He leaned into it and let it guide him, his lips pressing against hers. Warmth burst between them and beat through his bones, growing and growing until the Force snapped.
Then the world around them exploded.