The Edge of the Universe

LIV

Anakin's POV

I deactivated my lightsaber and placed it on my belt along with Dooku's, I took a step back and looked away from the dead body on the floor with a lightsaber mark through his chest. I stumbled away from the body just as Obi-wan had finished dealing with some of the droids in the hangar, I jumped down and landed next to him making him jump slightly.

I knew Obi-wan had sensed Dooku's death as well and he gave me a small smile and clapped me on the shoulder. 

"Come on, we can cause an explosion from behind the droids to wipe them out," Obi-wan said chucking me two grenades.

We ran towards the open hanger door where the main fight was happening, the clones and the other Jedi Masters were blocking the blasts from the thousands of droids. I closed my eyes and concentrated with the force and seconds later the force shield appeared in front of our clone army and the Jedi. Obi-wan and I threw the grenades towards the droid army and used the force to guide them into the right position. A plume of smoke rose up into the air as well as sand, the ground vibrated as the grenades went off, scorching the battle droids and destroying most of them, I released the shield and the clones began firing at the few remaining droids.

"We better go back around in our fighters to where the gunships are," Obi-wan said.

I nodded and we went back out through the hatch that we came in from and jumped into our fighters, something felt off. The dark side of the force seemed stronger even though I had killed Dooku, there was someone else, their force presence felt kind of familiar but also strange. The person was clouded in the dark side and held a type of fury I had only encountered when I had seen Maul when I was around 9 years old. I frowned but climbed into my fighter when Obi-wan gave me a strange look from his fighter that he was already in.

We flew back to where the gunships were settled down on the sand and when I looked down the clones and Jedi were already there probably celebrating this victory. Could any of the other Jedi Masters sense that the dark side felt stronger? 

Obi-wan and I landed our fighters down on the sand and we both climbed out, Obi-wan began walking over to the other Jedi Masters while I sort of lagged behind still wrapped up in my thoughts.

"Are you alright Anakin?" Obi-wan asked stopping and turning around to face me.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied pulling my shields up once again.

Obi-wan raised an eyebrow and I knew he didn't believe me but I couldn't explain what I was sensing until I had proof that there was another sith lord out there. I also didn't understand why Obi-wan didn't seem to sense it when the person was so powerful in the dark side. 

The twin suns had set over Tatooine and the sky was beginning to turn dark and stars were becoming visible. 

"You go ahead, I have to talk to Rex," I said.

Obi-wan reluctantly continued to walk towards the Jedi Masters as I turned and walked towards the clone captain who was talking to my second in command, Fives. Rex saw me coming and stood to attention as well as Fives.

"I heard your missions was successful General," Rex said.

 "It was, how many deaths were there?" I asked.

"There were quite a lot I'm afraid but Fives and I are stationed to go back to Kamino soon to recruit more clones for the 501st," he reported.

I nodded and Echo came over and he and Fives went somewhere else to go help the wounded while Rex staying here with me. I felt something in the force, a flash of pure hatred and then a familiar life force draining away slowly and just like that the dark force presence disappeared.