An Even Greater Sin

Chapter 9: Pure becomes impure...

With a malevolent chuckle, Palpatine savored the fear on this boy's Force-sense. Those blue eyes were livid with rage, and a guarded hatred. "Get out of here," the boy growled, his bravado running higher than his actual courage reached.

"Silence, young Jedi. Luke, am I correct? I see you have captured the eye of young Skywalker."

"Palpatine, you snake, get the hell away from me."

Taken aback, the Sith frowned. "How is it that you know my birth name? To all who know my true self, I am Darth Sidious."

"To all who know your true self, you're a sadistic, selfish tyrant with an unholy lust for power." This boy was good, Palpatine had to admit. Very powerful, with knowledge that he didn't deserve. Palpatine had to watch his step.

"Well, since I do not need to introduce myself," he reached out with the Force and slammed the boy against the wall, "how about you introduce yourself?" Striding forward, he caught the boy's jaw in his gnarled fingers. "My time is short."

"Shorter than you think."

"Your overconfidence is your weakness."

"Your faith in your apprentice is yours." So the boy knew that Palpatine's goal was Skywalker. Very good. Very good indeed.

"We shall see. I have plans to gain his full loyalty."

"I'm sure you do." The boy didn't dare struggle, but he kept his mental guards- very strong, but not fully defined- raised at full capacity.

"Now, I ask you this only once, before I make you suffer. What is your surname, Jedi Luke?" Palpatine hissed, placing a cynical edge on the title of his hated enemies.

The boy kept his silence. In frustration, Palpatine slapped him, bony fingers leaving irregular marks on the boy's pale face. Without batting an eye, the boy spat at the Master of the Sith.

"So be it... Jedi." And Palpatine grabbed the collar of the boy's tunic- black, clearly not an official Jedi uniform- and hauled him to his feet. With the Force, he shoved the boy onto the bed. "I gave you fair warning. Now, you shall pay the price for disobeying me."

Luke's vision suddenly split in two, his mind, body, spirit aching in a trillion separate ways as a blue light filled his eyes. With a harsh scream that tore out of his throat like a Tatooine sandstorm, he writhed under the Sith lightning. In more agony than ever before, he rasped, "I'll tell you nothing!"

And as abruptly as it had began, the source of the pain silenced, leaving behind an intense wave of heat as his body came to realize that it had been burnt- fried by Palpatine's power. He hadn't understood, before, what Yoda had meant by "the powers of the Emperor," but now he thought he knew.

"I ask you once more, what is your surname?" Quaking in terror, Luke forced himself to stare into those horrifying amber eyes.

"I will never say."

With an almost indifferent shrug, Palpatine crawled onto Luke, and Luke felt a new form of fear. If he fought back, he would be killed, he was certain, but-

His clothing simply shredded itself at the Sith's command.

Luke was frozen in place, unable to move, to fight, to escape. He didn't want this- he would rather die than be taken by this travesty of a creature. His mind was in shock, and his body didn't respond to any of his instincts. His command of the Force fled from him like he had never had any, and he clenched his fists, trying to force himself to strike this evil being- even if only to provoke him to kill him.

Anything but this.

And then there was pain, like never before. Something had ripped into him, tearing him apart, leaving a gaping rift in his mind, his body, his heart. Not like this, no!

His screams could never be loud enough.

Palpatine was using the Force to enhance the pain, the tearing, the slamming of the evil one into Luke. The feeble-looking demon was holding him down effortlessly, and Luke lost all control.

"NO!" Lashing out with the Force, he threw Palpatine across the room, sobbing and turning inward, to nurse his wounds, to try to shelter Anakin from his pain.

He felt a hand on his forehead, almost gentle, and then something even more precious was ripped from him.

"So... Skywalker. Yesss... Luke Skywalker. You are not from this time. You do not belong here." With a demonic, rasping laugh, Palpatine seemed to relish in the information. "You are his son. Oh, very good! He will be a better Sith for this news."

"No!" Luke pleaded. "Leave him alone!"

"I hardly think you are in a position to give me commands, young Skywalker. For if you dare warn him of his future..."

Forcing himself to maintain control, Luke asked, "What?"

"I will kill your mother before you have a chance to live."

And, trapped in despair, Luke wailed.

Anakin Skywalker resented being ordered around by Windu. He sat in the Council chambers as commanded, but his heart and mind were restless. The images of Padme`'s death spun before his eyes.

He abruptly saw an agonizing flash of blue, pain transmitted through the Force.

Palpatine rose to his feet as Jedi Master Windu committed treason.

Padme` Amidala wept as her child- children?- kicked in pain.

Luke Skywalker sobbed hoarsely as he bled, body and spirit.

Anakin Skywalker made a decision as he strode out of the Temple, determined to find the power he needed to save the ones he loved.