Balance and Victory: A Star Wars Alternate Universe [COMPLETED!]

Chapter 1

Unnerving sounds echoed off the familiar halls that led to the Chancellor's office- hums and clashes of lightsabers. Many lightsabers. Several people were shouting and screaming. Anakin thought he might have eventually gotten used to the sounds of people fighting and dying, but even after three years of war, they still made him shudder.

Even worse, he recognized the voices- Kit Fisto, Saesee Tin, Mace Windu and Chancellor Palpatine. One by one, the voices were silenced. Only Windu and Palpatine remained now. He walked faster.

By the time he came in, the bodies of the fallen Jedi Masters were on the floor, but there was no time to examine them because Windu suddenly had Palpatine disarmed and cornered. Even though Anakin knew in his head that Palpatine was actually a Sith, it still felt utterly strange, so wrong, that the kindly and wise Chancellor was the type to wield a lightsaber and use the Force.

Windu pointed his purple lightsaber blade close to Palpatine's neck, forcing the Chancellor to stumble back on the precarious window ledge. "You're under arrest, my lord," Windu said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Anakin," Palpatine gasped, "I told you it would come to this! I was right- the Jedi have taken over!"

Windu's eyes shone with fierce triumph. "The oppression of the Sith will never return. You have lost!"

"No," Palpatine growled. Anakin had never heard the Chancellor's voice sound so deep and guttural. "No... No. No! You will die!" The words were barely out of his mouth when blinding bluish-white light shot out of his fingertips. Amazingly, Windu raised his lightsaber just in time to block it. The lightning bounced right back to Palpatine, and once more the room was filled with shouting as Windu groaned with the effort of deflecting the lighting, and Palpatine cried out in pain.

The stinging, acidic smell of smoke filled the air. The lightning lit the whole room and flashed like a strobe light. The hissing and crackling sounds were deafening. These sensations brought back strong memories of when he himself was electrocuted by Count Dooku and other Separatists in the past. He could practically feel the pain- he understood far too easily.

"He's a traitor!" Palpatine screamed.

"He's the traitor!" Windu retorted.

"I have the power to save the one you love," Palpatine went on, as if Anakin had forgotten about that small detail. "You must choose!"

Windu and Palpatine continued to argue.

"Don't listen to him, Anakin!"

"Don't let him kill me!" Suddenly Palpatine's voice began to falter. "I can't hold it any longer... I... I... I can't beat him! Help me!"

Anakin was frozen; he had no idea what to say or do.

Windu seemed to straighten even under the pressure of deflecting the Sith lighting. While Palpatine was weakening, he was getting stronger. "I am going to end this once and for all!"

That was when Anakin realized that Windu had every intention of killing Palpatine. And if Palpatine died, so did any hope of saving Padmé. "You can't!" he blurted. "He must stand trial!"

"He has control over the Senate and the courts. He's too dangerous to be kept alive!"

"I'm too weak!" Palpatine moaned. "Don't kill me... please!"

Palpatine was unarmed and injured, and now, he was disfigured. How could he be such a threat to Windu in this state? It was wrong to kill unarmed people- Anakin had learned that much from his battle with Count Dooku. "This is not the Jedi way! He must live!"