A Long Time Ago, In a Galaxy Far Away

Chapter 158

Without understanding or even realizing he had moved, Anakin found himself on his feet with a blue bar of sizzling energy separating him and Palpatine, ending only a centimeter from the older man's somehow still calm face, casing red-edged shadows up his face and across the ceiling.

It took Anakin a few seconds to realize that the blue beam of energy was his lightsaber in his hand.

"It's you," Anakin breathed, mind reeling.

"Palpatine wants to see me. Why?" Luna's voice was calm, but that didn't erase the pure fear that had come with her first reaction. The fear that always subtly appeared when Anakin mentioned the Chancellor.

"....by betraying Palpatine, she's betraying you," Luna had told him.

"Be weary of your friend Palpatine," Obi-Wan's voice echoed in Anakin's mind.

"What do you mean?" Anakin had asked his lifelong friend.

"I know you are his friend. I am concerned that he may not be yours."

"It's been you the entire time. You're the Sith Lord."

And suddenly everything began to make sense, even as the slow horror filled truth crashed down on Anakin.

"Do you know who the Sith Lord is?" Obi-Wan had asked that first day they had been on Earth. Luna had laughed at the question.

"Of course I do, that's one of the basics. You don't even need to watch all the movies to know that," Luna had said. "I can't tell you."

"And why not?" Anakin had asked.

"You wouldn't believe me for starters...."

They had been so blind. Anakin had been so blind.

And the worst part was that he knew exactly why. Palpatine had been like a father to him.... Anakin would have never believed it, even if it had been Luna who had told him.

Only because he wouldn't want to see it.

And she knew that, even when Anakin literally lead her right to the Sith.

"Sidious was there. Why didn't you tell me?" Anakin had asked outside of the Galaxy Ophera.

"It's not yet the right time," Luna had replied.

"He could have killed you!"

"It was a calculated move, Anakin...."

"You tried to kill Luna," Anakin growled, eyes flashing in fury.

"Yes, yes, quite the medilsome girl you found," Palpatine—no, Sidious—said while his eyes narrowed as he slowly turned away and walked towards the window. Anakin kept his blade trained on the man's back. "Very special girl for someone lacking in Force potential. Did you know she watched her best friend die when she was just a child? She's well acquainted with the darkside and very resourceful. I was going to try to bring her to my at side first, but she was far too....problematic."

The hilt of Anakin's lightsaber creaked in his durasteel grip.

"You care for her, don't you?" the Sith's voice was slick with amusement.

Anakin took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"It's funny really. You care for her, yet I know her better than you do."

"I find that doubtful," Anakin said angrily.

"No, you don't. She's been manipulating you ever since she arrived."