Yeah, yeah, I know. George Lucas is wonderful, George Lucas invented Star Wars, yada yada yada.
Anyway, this story is indeed AU in a few ways. I'll leave you to figure that out. As I said previously, reviews are much appreciated. And, to make you 'an offer you can't refuse', per se, here's a bargain for us: you review this little fluttering piece of scrap, and I'll review your stories. Yes, in the plural. Fair? Good. It's settled, then.
"Join me. Pledge yourself to the Sith."
"I… I can't." "Of course you can."
Anakin shook his head and found that the rest of him threatened to shake as well. "I… came to save your life, sir. Not to betray my friends –"
Sidious snorted. "What friends?"
Anakin could find no answer.
Clump. Clump. Clump.
Darth Vader barely heard the punctuating clatter of clone boots echoing across the front stair leading to the door of the Jedi Temple. His mind was too clouded, swirling in a red mist of dark side energy that blinded him, turning his gaze inward as he did battle internally. Darth Vader may have won a battle, but Anakin Skywalker was not dead yet.
Making a short motion to the clones behind, a signal that said stay back, Vader stepped up to the pale halo of light that illuminated the little place before the huge double doors that led into the Temple. The battle inside him raged so loudly that it seemed to him that the tortured sound rang from the obelisks on either side of him.
Vader had a stranglehold on Skywalker for now, that much was certain. But Anakin, the lingering part of his mind, struggled on. Unfortunately for the Jedi Knight, he was losing to himself.
The Sith Lord easily caught the erstwhile Jedi by the throat and smashed him against the floor of his spirit. When Anakin tried to rise, Vader merely planted a boot in his face, and for now, the Knight was down.
I am Darth Vader.
Just then, the double doors creaked inward and Gate Master Jurokk slipped through. "Anakin!" he gasped. "Anakin, what happened? Where are the Masters?"
He means Windu, Fisto, and the rest…
Vader didn't answer. He was distracted, thinking of those hellish moments, the blue blade, the charred flesh, and the aural glare of Sith lightning…
Vader quickly gathered his senses. "Where is Shaak Ti?" he asked.
Jurokk frowned. "In the meditation chambers – we felt something happen in the Force, something awful. She's searching the Force in deep meditation, trying to get some feel for what's going on…"
Vader wasn't listening. Jurokk finally picked up on that. "Something has happened, hasn't it?"
Vader didn't answer – and just then, Jurokk caught sight of the clones standing on the stairs, waiting. Thousands of them. Jurokk swore inwardly. "Anakin…" he murmured, his voice slowly beginning to grow with fear and intensity. "What's going on? Something's happened. Something horrible. How bad is it…?"
Vader finally came back to himself, sloughing off the words of the Gate Master as his saber suddenly flashed from his belt and the beam emitter pressed angrily against the bottom of Jurokk's chin. Before the Gate Master could react, Vader's thumb pressed the button, and blue fire chewed right through the soft flesh under his jaw. Vader passed the dying Gate Master a mournful look. "You have no idea."