Star Wars One-Shots

Trapped in Fleeting Moments - Part 1: Hostage Crisis

Author's Note: Warnings for child abuse, minor self-harming and suicidal thoughts.

Also, poor Anika just needs to be adopted.

This is for Day 3 of the Anakin Rarepair Week. Yes, I know we're a day ahead. :)

~ Tirana Sorki

Raised by Sidious and trained in secret as a Sith, Anika befriends Fox once the war breaks out. Too young to fight, she helps Sidious at the Senate. All the while, she becomes closer with Fox, and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka – Jedi she meets on a formal basis to whom she becomes quickly attached. Soon, she finds herself questioning if being a Sith is really what she wants.

Formal meetings are so annoying. Anika Skywalker-Palpatine shifts in her formal dress, trying to resist the urge to squirm. It would certainly help if being at the Jedi Temple was a comfortable place to be, to begin with.

Which it is not.

Her master – adopted father, according to the eyes of the galaxy – already taught her everything about how to shield herself so the Jedi won't be able to sense the Dark Side around her, but that doesn't mean being here doesn't feel like walking right into their enemy's territory, right where they could be killed with no hope of fighting their way out.

She has no idea how the Jedi are so blind that they can't sense anything, though. Not if the Force is so strong with them.

Palpatine is greeting the Jedi with a warm smile, the way he always does, discussing politics. The other Senators invited to the gathering at the Temple are milling about, conversing with various Jedi.

But at least everyone's attention is focused on her master now, instead of her. She's just his... daughter to the galaxy, and she's too young to be important. She's barely sixteen, after all.

Anika's gaze darts around the room, lingering longest on the Coruscanti Guard standing near the doorway to the room.

The war broke out nearly two years ago, and she's gotten to know the Coruscant Guard who work at the Senate now, protecting the Chancellor. And her.

It just... makes her sick sometimes, knowing what they are. Knowing that no one even cares that they're slaves. Even though the Republic claims that they don't believe in slavery. The Jedi haven't even addressed the issue with the Senate, like they don't care, even if Anika knows they don't control everything. She just can't understand.

Fox is standing near Palpatine without outright being in anyone's way. She wants to go over to him, to talk to him, but... now isn't really the time. It would just make him uncomfortable because it's against whatever protocols he's supposed to be following. And she's not going to put him in an awkward situation, no matter how much she misses talking to him.

He's the first real friend she's had since Palpatine found her on Tatooine. After – after her mother died. The wave of grief at the mere memory is sharp and cutting, but she tries to bury it, moving away through the crowd and just milling about.

Palpatine is too busy to keep his gaze on her right now, and it makes her feel a little freer. Even if it often feels like everyone who looks at her couldn't possibly not know that she's a Sith.

There's movement behind one of the pillars right near the doorway, and Anika spots a familiar pointed head peeking out from behind it.

"Ahsoka?" she calls, approaching. The girl is still so tiny compared to Anika. She's barely up to her elbow – she's only ten, after all, despite the padawan beads swinging from the back of her lekku.