Card of Heart

Chapter 13 - The Inquisitors

"I will begin immediately, my master," Anakin replies.

Ahsoka doesn't know how she'll ever get used to hearing him say that to Sidious. Then again, it's jarring to hear him being addressed with a Sith name too.

"Good. Most of the Jedi were killed in our glorious purge, but some few remain." She does not miss how he's pointedly looking at Anakin as he says that, obviously in reference to whatever... conversation they had about it. "The luckiest, the deadliest, the strongest. Those more duplicitous, willing to tell any lie to save their lives. You and the Inquisitors must find these Jedi, Lord Vader. You must destroy them all. For in truth, there is no greater threat to our Empire."

***

A group of Inquisitors to hunt down the Jedi.

It makes sense. Sidious is right that the Jedi are a serious threat to his Empire. (It only scares him so much because it means it will be so much easier for them to find Obi-Wan. He can only hope his former master will do what he asked him just this once and stay hidden, not try to start a rebellion or something.)

It's worse that Maul is one of the ones here. He's been going after Obi-Wan for over a year now, and now that he literally has the opportunity from Sidious, there's no way he's going to pass up on it. This is not good. But he knows there's nothing he can do except go along with what his master wants.

And... Ahsoka is going to be an Inquisitor? That's not surprising, but he doesn't like the thought of her working under Maul, instead of directly under Anakin himself. But again, there's little he can do about it. Sidious has the final say in the matter, and he dare not object. Not right now. He can push limits later, but the stakes are too high right now.

"Lord Vader," Maul greets, curtly once Sidious leaves, and he goes down to talk to the other Dark Siders. Anakin doesn't miss the clear animosity in his voice, or his obvious anger at having to address Anakin as a superior. He's not taking any pains to hide it either. "I see Lord Sidious' plan for years in turning you to his side has succeeded," he hisses.

The comment shouldn't sting so much. He already knew that, all these years, what Palpatine really wanted was to make him a Sith. But... it means their entire relationship was nothing more than a front. Was any of it real? He can't handle the thought that it might not have been, but he can't entirely deny what it seems like, either.

"I saw the true nature of the Force," Anakin replies evasively. The Dark Side does fill him with a power he never before knew he could have. Maybe it will finally make him strong enough to protect everyone in his family. That's the one thing that always mattered above all else, after all – he is the sun-dragon. He will do whatever he must for his family. (Obi-Wan is still out there, though, and there's nothing he can do to protect him.)

"I have never seen one who isn't raised as a Sith achieve the true power of the Dark Side," Maul says, and that's definitely a pointed jab at him. He's clearly very unhappy that he's technically subservient to Anakin right now. Not that Anakin cares.

"You were raised a Sith?" Anakin asks, instead. He never really thought about it before, but he supposes it makes sense. Maul can't be older than Obi-Wan, so he must have been quite young during the Trade Federation Blockade. It would make the most sense if he was raised a Sith. What would that even be like? Anakin hasn't seen much of Sidious but he's... nothing like what he always thought Palpatine was. He can't imagine actually being raised by him.

"I was," Maul confirms, "Here in this building."

"... you lived here?" The Sith apprentice was also living right on Coruscant, and the Jedi were none the wiser?