Fanfic: Justify (ROTS Anakin)
Title: Justify
Fandom: Star Wars
Rating: Teen
Word count: 430
Characters: Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader), mention of Padmé Amidala
Era: Revenge of the Sith
Summary: He is doing it for her. A look into Anakin's disturbed mind as he kills the younglings in the Jedi Temple.
A/N: Someone may have read too many psychology books while the muse was in hibernation. I dedicate this ficlet to albumsontheside, whose influence continues to inspire me to try writing Anakin/Vader's POV.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. I do not own the Star Wars franchise. No profit is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
"I am becoming more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of. And I'm doing it for you. To protect you."
- Anakin (to Padmé), Revenge of the Sith
The shock on the younglings' faces doesn't have the power to make him flinch. Not anymore. He senses their fear and confusion, and he feels nothing. He should be feeling something, shouldn't he? But his mind is consumed by her face, by the reason he is doing this, and nothing can get through it. To save Padmé, he would kill anyone, give anything without hesitation, without regret.
He isn't doing this for himself. Nor is he doing it for the Republic... the Empire. This isn't about punishing traitors - as if he still cares! His patriotism has turned to ashes, just like his loyalty to the Jedi. She is the only thing he still cares about, and he will destroy the entire galaxy if that is what it takes to protect her.
The dark side lends an ice-cold, razor-sharp clarity to his thoughts. His mind, for the first time, is unencumbered by feelings or attachments, except one: Padmé, a beacon of light among ruins and darkness. Only his love for her remains. Only she has not betrayed him.
He kills them one by one, with methodical flicks of his lightsaber. As easy as killing droids. Killing is what he's been trained for. He believes she'll understand. She always understood.
She understood when he told her about killing the Tusken raiders, although that was just revenge - justice - for his mother's death. This is to save a life, her life, and their unborn child's. This is to save the most important lives in the galaxy. This cannot be wrong.
He walks out of the council chamber without a glance at the pile of corpses he is leaving behind him. Maybe she'll even approve, if she doesn't find out that duty means nothing to him anymore.
Maybe it doesn't mean anything to her either, now. She has to be feeling the same way as he is. She always put the Republic first, but there is no more Republic. No more duty. All they have now is each other.
And this is the way it should be.
Yes... Padmé will understand. She will not turn against him for this. Not when she loves him. And not when he can give her the galaxy and everything she must have dreamed about (who hasn't?).
A tear falls from his eye. He doesn't notice.
Fandom: Star Wars
Rating: Teen
Word count: 430
Characters: Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader), mention of Padmé Amidala
Era: Revenge of the Sith
Summary: He is doing it for her. A look into Anakin's disturbed mind as he kills the younglings in the Jedi Temple.
A/N: Someone may have read too many psychology books while the muse was in hibernation. I dedicate this ficlet to albumsontheside, whose influence continues to inspire me to try writing Anakin/Vader's POV.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. I do not own the Star Wars franchise. No profit is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
"I am becoming more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of. And I'm doing it for you. To protect you."
- Anakin (to Padmé), Revenge of the Sith
The shock on the younglings' faces doesn't have the power to make him flinch. Not anymore. He senses their fear and confusion, and he feels nothing. He should be feeling something, shouldn't he? But his mind is consumed by her face, by the reason he is doing this, and nothing can get through it. To save Padmé, he would kill anyone, give anything without hesitation, without regret.
He isn't doing this for himself. Nor is he doing it for the Republic... the Empire. This isn't about punishing traitors - as if he still cares! His patriotism has turned to ashes, just like his loyalty to the Jedi. She is the only thing he still cares about, and he will destroy the entire galaxy if that is what it takes to protect her.
The dark side lends an ice-cold, razor-sharp clarity to his thoughts. His mind, for the first time, is unencumbered by feelings or attachments, except one: Padmé, a beacon of light among ruins and darkness. Only his love for her remains. Only she has not betrayed him.
He kills them one by one, with methodical flicks of his lightsaber. As easy as killing droids. Killing is what he's been trained for. He believes she'll understand. She always understood.
She understood when he told her about killing the Tusken raiders, although that was just revenge - justice - for his mother's death. This is to save a life, her life, and their unborn child's. This is to save the most important lives in the galaxy. This cannot be wrong.
He walks out of the council chamber without a glance at the pile of corpses he is leaving behind him. Maybe she'll even approve, if she doesn't find out that duty means nothing to him anymore.
Maybe it doesn't mean anything to her either, now. She has to be feeling the same way as he is. She always put the Republic first, but there is no more Republic. No more duty. All they have now is each other.
And this is the way it should be.
Yes... Padmé will understand. She will not turn against him for this. Not when she loves him. And not when he can give her the galaxy and everything she must have dreamed about (who hasn't?).
A tear falls from his eye. He doesn't notice.