Blurred Sides (COMPLETE)

7.12.3

Anakin burst through the doors, but all was silent. For some reason, none of the lights were on and no one was in the building. At least, not in the lobby. The only light he could see was flooding in from outdoors. It was then that Anakin remembered: all of the senators and staff were invited to a gala at a casino not far from here. They were all out enjoying themselves. Hopefully, no one forgot anything here. They wouldn't want to be in the building, not tonight.

Anakin followed his instincts. The Force led him upstairs, towards the Chancellor's office. He started to run, although he couldn't think of what could possibly be important there. All of the Senate's assets were downstairs, in the vault.

The Chancellor's office, the Chancellor's office. Why was that familiar? It was important, but why? He could have sworn he was supposed to remember something about the office, maybe something Palpatine had told him not to forget. Hopefully, he would know it when he needed it.

He ran upstairs and arrived at the landing that he felt the Dooku and the Sister coming from. He stood outside the Chancellor's door, but the Sith and the Inquisitor were still ahead of him. He slid next to the wall, stepping lightly and slowly now that he knew what they were gunning for. He wasn't going to let them get in Palpatine's office, not if there was something in there they wanted.

Patiently, he tracked the two intruders as they made their way closer. A moment later, a red saber burned through the ceiling, creating an opening right in front of the next door down. The Inquisitor jumped down and looked at Anakin, smirking. "Long time, no see, Skywalker."

"Right back at you," he replied, but that was the last of his pleasantries for the night. If the Inquisitor wanted to invade Coruscant then they weren't going to be able to work together, and that meant no easy banter, no quick-witted quips. Business only.

Dooku landed behind her. "Now that you've had the chance to catch up," they hadn't really, but Anakin didn't say so, "we have something we came here to do."

"That's why I'm here," said Anakin, and he stood between them and the door to Palpatine's office. "What are you here for?"

"That's none of your-"

"The Chancellor," the Sister interrupted, and Dooku's withering scowl fell on her. She shrugged. "What? He was going to find out anyway."

Anakin remembered her wrath at Palpatine, but he still couldn't let her kill him. He silently realized that he hadn't sensed the Chancellor in his office until now. Why wasn't he at the gala?

"Sister," he started. "Just because you're mad at the Chancellor doesn't mean he has to die."

"But thousands of Jedi, civilians, and even clones do, because of him?" Her playful twinkle had disappeared, and she advanced on him. "That ends tonight, one way or another, Skywalker. I'm not going to live another day while he sits on his throne of power!"

Before Anakin could respond, Dooku grabbed her arm and pulled her backward. "Calm yourself. He's not going to die." He glanced at the Jedi. "Not yet, anyway."

"Then can we hurry?" She looked at the door. "I don't want this to take any longer than it has to."

Anakin took this as his cue to pull out his lightsaber. He couldn't stall any longer, and none of the other Jedi had gotten there yet. He hoped Luminara had sent the message by now.

The Sister and Dooku pulled theirs out, and Dooku spoke to the Togruta. "Get him. I'll take care of Skywalker."

"No!" Anakin yelled, but Dooku threw him backward with the Force. The Inquisitor ran into the office, and the doors sealed behind her. Anakin had to get in there before she took off with the Chancellor.