The Dark Lord Trilogy by James Luceno

Author:James Luceno
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780307795915
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2011-05-04T04:00:00+00:00

This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker, right now:

You don’t remember putting away your lightsaber.

You don’t remember moving from Palpatine’s private office to his larger public one; you don’t remember collapsing in the chair where you now sit, nor do you remember drinking water from the half-empty glass that you find in your mechanical hand.

You remember only that the last man in the galaxy you still thought you could trust has been lying to you since the day you met.

And you’re not even angry about it.

Only stunned.

“After all, Anakin, you are the last man who has a right to be angry at someone for keeping a secret. What else was I to do?”

Palpatine sits in his familiar tall oval chair behind his familiar desk; the lampdisks are full on, the office eerily bright.

Ordinary.

As though this is merely another one of your friendly conversations, the casual evening chats you’ve enjoyed together for so many years.

As though nothing has happened.

As though nothing has changed.

“Corruption had made the Republic a cancer in the body of the galaxy, and no one could burn it out; not the judicials, not the Senate, not even the Jedi Order itself. I was the only man strong and skilled enough for this task; I was the only man who dared even attempt it. Without my small deception, how should I have cured the Republic? Had I revealed myself to you, or to anyone else, the Jedi would have hunted me down and murdered me without trial—very much as you nearly did, only a moment ago.”

You can’t argue. Words are beyond you.

He rises, moving around his desk, taking one of the small chairs and drawing it close to yours.

“If only you could know how I have longed to tell you, Anakin. All these years—since the very day we met, my boy. I have watched over you, waiting as you grew in strength and wisdom, biding my time until now, today, when you are finally ready to understand who you truly are, and your true place in the history of the galaxy.”

Numb words blur from your numb lips. “The chosen one …”

“Exactly, my boy. Exactly. You are the chosen one.” He leans toward you, eyes clear. Steady. Utterly honest. “Chosen by me.”

He turns a hand toward the panorama of light-sprayed cityscape through the window behind his desk. “Look out there, Anakin. A trillion beings on this planet alone—in the galaxy as a whole, uncounted quadrillions—and of them all, I have chosen you, Anakin Skywalker, to be the heir to my power. To all that I am.”

“But that’s not … that’s not the prophecy. That’s not the prophecy of the chosen one …”

“Is this such a problem for you? Is not your quest to find a way to overturn prophecy?” Palpatine leaned close, smiling, warm and kindly. “Anakin, do you think the Sith did not know of this prophecy? Do you think we would simply sleep while it came to pass?”

“You mean—”

“This is what you must understand. This Jedi submission to fate … this is not the way of the Sith, Anakin.

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