Way of the Sith

Chapter 8 - The Empire

He doesn't know what to say. It would be easier if he wasn't talking to one of those responsible for Palpatine's death in the first place. How can he tell him this while knowing how Obi-Wan himself feels? He doesn't know if it makes it harder or easier that the same would be true whether or not Obi-Wan had merged. The Jedi would have found out eventually who Palpatine was, and they would have killed him.

"I... I'll be alright," he answers finally, though he knows that says nothing.

Obi-Wan sighs. "You can talk to me, Anakin."

How can he? "I don't know what to say."

He's quiet for a few long moments. "Alright." He doesn't speak again, and they sit together in silence.

***

This is the part Angelus has been eagerly waiting for from the start, and she's more elated that the time has finally come. The rumors are everywhere about how Palpatine was probably kidnapped and murdered by the Separatists, and the Senate and public are in uproar.

There's too much of a commotion about that, really, for people to pay much attention when she drops by to pay her counterpart a visit. Kidnapping her from near the Senate building won't be easy, but it's nothing she can't handle.

It's late in the evening now as Angelus waits outside the building, where she knows her younger counterpart will be passing shortly. She's watched for a few days, trying to get a better idea of her routine. She needs to know enough that she'll be able to impersonate her to the public.

Of course, it won't be nearly that simple once she actually does take up her role in the Senate, because all her allies will notice something is amiss. There's no way she could truly know what Padme's relationship with her Senate allies is like – or even who all of them are – although she's been able to figure out enough by snooping around and with Vader's assistance.

Of course, Padme's staff will definitely know that something's wrong, and she's already contemplating how to deal with that. All that matters is that she uses her new position to push the Senate into forming an Empire. With the help of the Force, most should agree easily, even if they wonder after the fact why they voted for what they did in the first place. Once she's the Empress for life, nothing else should be a major hindrance.

The news that she's not the real Padme will probably get out eventually, but so long as they've already gotten the galaxy to support them, it shouldn't be much of a problem. They've already considered many of the problems that could arise, and have plans for... most of them.

Finally, Angelus sees Padme walk into view. For a moment, she could almost think she was looking at a younger version of Sabe from how familiar it is. Now she knows how Vader feels when he's around Anakin. It's also a little... unnerving, even if she knows this Padme isn't her. It's probably what she would have been like, more or less, if Sidious hadn't decided to train her.

Athair had helped a lot with that – and she much preferred his teaching methods, but then again, any master would be better than Sidious – which was what enabled her to spend so much time around Vader when they were younger.

Angelus shakes the irrelevant train of thought from mind, stealthily moving forwards. Getting Padme before she gets to her speeder will be easiest, even if there's a risk of someone seeing. It would be far less visible than attacking her in her apartment or while she's literally in traffic. And at least this way she's alone.

For the moment. It's time to act now.

She moves out of the shadows, approaching Padme.

Padme looks up in surprise as she steps in front of her. "Hello?" she asks, a distinct note of wariness flaring into the Force around her. She obviously notices that something isn't quite right, even if she doesn't know what. Clearly, she's Force sensitive in this universe too, even if never trained.