Anakin screamed as a dark cold presence ripped through his brain, both simultaneously freezing and burning. It felt as if hands made of fire with nails of ice were forcefully pulling apart every groove of his brain in order to peek inside, uncaring of the damage it caused along the way. The presence tried to dig deep under his brain, trying its best to drill itself into his mind. Like a parasite, it travelled deeper in an attempt to implant itself as deeply as possible through any painful means necessary.

  "I can do this all day. In fact, I just might." Palpatine's voice teased as another wave of that hot freezing presence ripped into his mind. Palpatine was wearing his classic black cloak, and his eyes burned with yellow Sith fury.

  Anakin would have told Palpatine to kill himself, but his mouth had been gagged to prevent him from biting his own tongue and effectively choking on his own blood. The chosen one had been placed floating in a containment force field, except he was held up by his throat rather than his arms as well… he lacked those, without his arms, his ability to use the Force was heavily handicapped. Always with the arms. Anakin would have rolled his eyes if it wasn't for the fact that they were clenched shut from the exruciating pain. Palpatine was probably stronger than he was at this point. In Anakin's defence, he hadn't been in this loop long enough to reach his full potential.

  "You know you really are something, my young, or rather an old, time-traveller. Moronic mostly, but still something. I won't lie, I was a little furious when you exposed me to the Jedi, but come on, you had to realise that wouldn't work on me, right?" Anakin hissed as Palpatine sent another wave of the Darkside into his brain, the icy nails of the Force cutting deeper than they had previously.

  "Getting tired? I honestly expected more from you. How much longer will it take till our Force bond snaps together, I wonder? A month of repeated torture? A year? A lifetime? Doesn't bother me too much, once we Force bond together, we'll be time travel partners for the rest of eternity where I can kidnap you at the start of every loop and torture you every single time." Palpatine laughed. Anakin would have told him that it wouldn't work, he had Force-bonded with many people, but they never joined him in the loop. Though he supposed Palpatine was desperate. That was the cold reality of the loop, the overwhelming sense of pointlessness. So what if he had conquered the Galaxy? It would all amount to nothing if it would all just reset. Palaptine probably realised nothing he did or would do would have any importance. Wasting his life trying to force himself into the loop was the only thing he could do. It was a shame how much he related to Palpatine in that regard, wasting whole lives in order not to be alone.

  Anakin had made a mistake this run and would pay for it dearly. He told the Jedi about his knowledge of the future and his status as a time traveller. Of course, they didn't believe him, but the senator being a Sith Lord, while without proof, is still something the Jedi were wary of. Once Palpatine was exposed and fled, the Jedi or at least the ones that mattered, like Yoda, started to believe him. He was even able to remove Order 66 from the minds of the clones, making the Republic army and the Jedi more powerful than ever before.

  Without Palpatine controlling the Clone Wars from the shadows, the war between the CIS and the Republic was bloody. Palpatine often mediated battles and forced wins and losses on both sides, but without his control, the war quickly spiralled out of control with war crimes now becoming more commonplace. It was worth it, though. Anakin thought he had won. The Republic was winning, and Palpatine was in hiding. It had only taken a few loops and yet Anakin had won. He did it. That was until Palpatine showed up. Armed with his full fury and a few Sith apprentices in the form of Maul and Savage. With the Clone Wars, Anakin hadn’t dedicated most of his time to pure training and couldn't keep up with the three Sith eventually captured and repeatedly tortured.

  "I heard the rumours of the Jedi. A time traveller. Can you believe it? I didn't. That was until you outed me and my little clone scheme. You know that didn't work right? Sure, they changed the name of Order 66, but the Republic isn't nearly as trusting in the Jedi as the Jedi is in the Republic. All they did was a simple name change and hid it better. Whenever I want order 66 will occur, but I'll wait till the Republic kills my old apprentice Dooku and the CIS he stole from me. Anyway, getting sidetracked. Not one believed you at first and even now most don't believe you are a time traveller, but enough did for rumours to spread. I thought it was crazy, but you know what they say. 'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.'"

  Wave after wave the Darkside tried to bend his mind as Palpatine continued his little speech. The words flowed off his tongue confidently, dripping in arrogance and pride, completely ignoring the fact Anakin had ruined his plans. This speech was far too well rehearsed for it to be a spur-of-the-moment thing.

  "What did you think was going to happen when you told the Jedi? That they would keep it secret? That something so important or comical as a time traveller wouldn't make it to the Republic's ears. The only people you can trust not to tell anyone are the ones you kill yourself. I would think a person as old as you would know this?"

  Left with nothing better to do, Palpatine tortured him. Day in and day out, trying to force himself into the loops through any means necessary. Though eventually, much like Icirus, Palpatine flew too close to the sun. He just went a little too far, and one fateful day, Anakin's heart stopped. Though the decade's worth of pain had left it scars deep in Anakin's mind. Palpatine's torture had broken Anakin for the next few loops, leaving him a mumbling mess unable to form words or communicate in ways that weren't crazy. It must have been so strange for the Jedi to one day walk into Anakin's room to see him crying, weeping, unable to form any sort of cognitive thought.

  He had gone mad. Though in the infinite loops, not even madness could last forever. But a lesson had been learnt from Anakin's torture. He would never trust the Jedi or the Republic ever again with his secret.

  ***

  Anakin turned around, letting his new outfit flow around him. With his sudden abundance of wealth, Anakin had gone to the shopping district in the more rich parts of Nar Shaddah, where he wouldn't be stabbed or robbed when trying to buy some necessities. The air here was so much better, it was cinnamon scented and had a hint of aphrodisiacs in the air whenever he chanced by a nearby brothel.

  Now Anakin comfortably stood in his own apartment, given graciously by Grakkus, along with a cooler of fine wines and cheeses. He hated the Hutts with as much hate as someone who couldn't care about anything could. Yet, even he had to admit they could be quite accommodating when they wanted to. Ever since he was recruited the Hutt to be essentially a bodyguard for his little space cruise. Anakin's pockets has been noticeably heavier from the amount of credits he carried within at all times. Although he wasn't so much a bodyguard as he was a deterrent to prevent any royalty or senators from butting heads. A royal babysitter was a more appropriate term. He could feel a pre-emptive headache coming on from the future political strife. Politics was just one massive dick-measuring contest except everyone had small dick syndrome and had to pretend they were more intimidating than they actually are.

  It would be worth it though. If Grakkus was truly worth his word, which honestly Anakin didn't put a lot of faith in. Then Anakin would gladly sell his freedom in order tosample every vice the smuggler's moon had to offer.

  The time-looper thumbed the slave collar around his throat. It wasn't obnoxiously large, which was pleasant. Anakin certainly had worn worse slave collars. It was beautiful, and could have been confused for a strange piece of jewellery rather than something with a miniature bomb inside it. Worst comes to worst he could always try to rip the blasted thing off him before giving Grakkus a big warm hug.

  A tiny smile came to his lips at the thought of the two of them dying in a heated explosion of plasma. Explosions were always such an oscillating way to die. On one hand, it was quick; on the other, having your eyes pop from heat and the skin of your body burnt to a crisp was extremely painful. He preferred euthanasia, quick and painless. It was just unfortunate that not a single person Anakin went up against cared much for making his death as painless as possible.

  Anakin was ripped from his thoughts by the sound of his doorbell ringing. Grakkus? Either that slug was slimmer than he thought or Anakin had greatly underestimated the corridors of his apartment building. He could just ignore the person, but if it was Grakkus, then that would certainly complicate his new wealth.

  Letting out a deep sigh, Anakin opened the door to his apartment, fully expecting a grotest fat Hutt to greet him. Instead, he was pleasantly surprised by the appearance of a fairly young woman. She couldn't have been more than a few years older than him. twenty-four? Though the way she dressed certainly made It seems that way. She wasn't dressed so much as a business woman but rather what someone would think a businesswoman would look like as some sort of fetish, as she wore a tight blouse and short black skirt that covered her black leggings.

  A Zeltron. A race of people that are stereotypically prostitutes. They produce pheromones that make them seem more attractive to people and thus easier to manipulate. Strange, Anakin didn't recall ordering 'room service' but he had also been rather drunk last night. Perhaps a gift from a drunk him?

  Unfortunately for her, Anakin didn't care.

  "Fuck off, I'm not interested in your God. They are all as shit as each other." Before Anakin could slam the door in her face, she blocked it with her foot. Annoying.

  "I'm here on behalf of The Hutts." Anakin held back a scoff. So Grakkus sent her, what for? Nothing good.

  Wordlessly, the woman barged into his apartment, having the gall of all things to scowl at every unclean plate or out of place pillow. Dragging her finger along a glass table, picking up a line of powered flavoured nicotine between her nails. When he was much much younger the glare she gave him would have made him feel some sort of guilt, but only know it was like she was a four year old girl upset her father had been drinking again.

  "This place reeks of drugs and sex." She said, her dagger-like eyes eating away at Anakin, to whom he merely smirked back. Scoffing the woman took a seat on the only part of the couch that didn't look stained or was a mess of pillows.

  "Why are you interested?" Anakin asked sitting on a glass table that had become foggy with nicotine powder. The women didn't even bother to respond to Anakin's half-jokingly, half-serious question. Zeltron pheromones were strong, given a whole hour in the same room with her, no doubt he would be wrapped around her soft delicate finger. He had to give Grakkus more credit.

  "Grakkus wants all personnel at the docks early before any politicians show up at the luxury cruiser. That was three hours ago, and yet Grakkus' little Jedi hasn't shown up. As you can imagine, he isn't pleased with your behaviour, and neither am I." She continued.

  "I believe I told Grakkus to keep the fact I am an ex-Jedi a secret."

  "I believe you promised you would arrive on time. Respect only goes as far as you are willing to allow it."

  Fair enough but Anakin still wasn't impressed. The Jedi wouldn't risk searching around Hutt territory and only Sith assassin or apprentices would waste their time hunting him down. However, if they knew he was on Nar Shaddah then that little time wasted looking for him a lot more worth it. He would have to find a new planet after this. Damn slug.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  "I said I would show up. Never on time. Though I suppose I am cutting it close."

  "More than close. You are the reason the cruiser hasn't left yet."

  "And you," Anakin smirked. She didn't seem to find it as entertaining, judging by her scowl. He would have to find a way to ditch her.

  ***

  "You're late, Vader. Also, your arm is bleeding." Grakkus hissed. The metal-legged Hutt stood on the metal walkway of the large luxury Cruiser. He looked very unhappy with Anakin.

  "Late? Or fashionably on time?"

  "Late."

  Anakin shrugged. What was the slug going to do? Kill him? Ha! Kill him, maybe but no one can keep Anakin dead. Maybe in the next loop, he'll dedicate it to killing him and ruining his empire. Not the first time Anakin had been petty enough to dedicate his loops to ruining someone's life.

  "I'm sorry." He wasn't. "I'd love to get on the stupid ship, but you're kind of blocking me."

  "Do not give me lip Jedi."

  "Do not call me Jedi. That was our deal."

  "Our deal was you arrive on time."

  "Yeah, I know. Your little secretary already gave me the speech." Grakkus looked at Anakin questioningly.

  "Where is she?" Grakkus narrowed his eyes, noticing the lack of a red skinned woman in a far too short skirt.

  "A victim of a carjacking. The poor woman got thrown out of the hover car before the engine even started." Hutts didn't have any eyebrows but if they did Grakkus would have raised his questionably.

  "I need those Zeltrons, their pheromones are important. There are going to be lots of political heads and a lot of them don't like each other, so I'd like to keep them all happy, or horny. Whatever is easier. In the situation where they aren't happy, I need you. Do you understand?" Obviously, Anakin did. He doubted there would be too many problems, though. Knowing the Hutts, this cruiser will be filled with alcohol, drugs and prostitutes and while no politician would ever indulge in such activities, behind closed doors, who knows? Either way, Anakin has rarely seen two high people have an argument whilst high as a kite. Chances are, most politicians don't actually care about the trade deal with the Hutts and are just treating this as a holiday under the guise of a political meeting.

  "Yeah yeah, I get it. If the politicians start to get rowdy, wave my lightsaber around. I get the gist of it."

  "See that you do. We'll be leaving the moon in an hour. Find yourself in your room then find me. We have guests to greet."

  "Of course." He just wouldn't be sober enough to remember it.

  ***

  Padme hated being here. She hated the people she had to talk to, she hated how she had to pretend to like these people, and most of all, she hated the politics. She was a senator and thus had to act accordingly. Though she wished she had better company, for all those old fat bastards did was laugh at how unprofessional and undignified the Hutts were, saying that he would never allow sex workers near any event they held. It tended to be the ones that insulted or mocked the drugs and sex workers who reeked the most of them.

  She had been invited as an ambassador of Naboo to accept the company of the Hutts and hear them out on their trade deal ever since the incident a few years ago with the Trade Federation. She wasn't the only one, as she saw several senators from Republic space here, though the way they enjoyed the bar suggested they weren't here to actually consider the trade deals.

  "Unfortunately, I lost almost a whole brigade of men against those savages. Can you believe it? I understand taking land away from the indigenous people is wrong but It's the mining that keeps our planet running. Without the mines, we all go poor. I offered to move them to a better location and give them more resources I was going to pay them well and fairly but they refused to move and dared to attack my men. We acted in self-defence!" The irritating voice came from an obese human male with a pretentious moustache. Padme forgot his name and whatever planet. The only thing she did know was that he was part of the Republic, as all the other Republic senators huddled around. It wasn't safe for them to be out on this ship alone.

  Being in the Outer Rim she found out just how much other planets hated them in the Republic. The Outer Rim thought of them like they were selfish rich capitalists, while the Mid-Rim planets thought of them as savages. Almost everyone on this ship hated them, and that much was obvious by the number of glares and snide comments thrown around the room just conveniently in earshot. This was going to be a long trip.

  "But enough about me. If I'm not mistaken dear Padme, you're in your sixth year as senator. Quite an accomplishment for someone so young. Though I suppose Naboo is one of the better planets to rule, I wish I was born a royalty so the people would just give me my senatorship." Even among the Republic senators, she found something to hate.

  "Why, thank you." Bastard. "Though I wouldn't call it so beginner-friendly, it took quite some time for an understanding to occur between Nabooians and the Gungans. Unfortunately, we had to make a few sacrifices and diplomatic deals, we couldn't just use our weapons to force the original owners of the planet out of the way. That would be not only immoral, but I would be embarrassed to call myself a senator if I did that." She hissed throwing back in his face the fact that he was nothing more then a murder. The man only laughed, he had the fucking audacity to laugh. What a scumbag.

  "You're still young. Quite a tongue on you though, it will serve you well in your later years. One day you'll have to understand why we do what we do." She already did know what they did and why. It was money and cowardice.

  "Enough you two. Why ruin such a joyful atmosphere with such animosity? We Republic Senators, have to stick together." It was another senator at the table that spoke this time. He looked well-dressed and fairly attractive though that much was obvious. Most senators weren't ugly, people just liked people who looked good. Unfortunately, the man who spoke up also had tried hiding a pollution fiasco that killed off a reef when an offshore drilling rig collapsed due to corners being cut.

  This whole place was the worst.

  "And then my buddy Obi-Wan. He said he never banged her, but Satine's 'nephew' seemed to look a lot like him!" What was that loud voice? Padme could hear a voice; it sounded young from a table nearby. Whomever it was the people around the voice found what he was saying hilarious as the group of Rodians around him laughed.

  "I wish those annoying Rodians would shut up." One of the Republic senators whispered in a hushed tone. Padme had a strong feeling it wasn't the noise that annoyed him. Unfortunately, some senators agreed. Some were generally annoyed by the noise, which was valid and fair enough, others who looked angrier were bothered by something else. The fact they weren’t human no doubt.

  Still, she couldn't help but envy the group of aliens. Their table seemed a lot more lively. People actually enjoying themselves rather then throwing around back-handed compliments and pretending corporate greed was somehow moral.

  "I will go speak to them." Padme volunteered, trying her best to hide the desire in her voice. Most didn't care, but some nodded in approval, agreeing from a place that was no doubt born of racism.

  Padme didn't know what to expect as she walked over to the group of laughing aliens. What she saw was unimpressive. A boy.

  His hair was a mess and he had bruises on his neck. Hickies, gross. Everything about him was disgusting, his shirt was half out of his pants, he clearly had spilt whatever drink he was drinking all over himself, and if you actually looked at his blissfully unaware face, it was clear he was high. Padme had never seen redder eyes before.

  "What's going on here?" She asked, drawing the attention of the group.

  "I'M THE CHOSEN ONE!" He yelled shocking Padme and caen royalty.

  "Is he a senator?” She ignored the drunk boy instead turning her focus to the Rodians. What caused the Rodians to laugh even more. This was the most unprofessional senator she had ever seen. No, he couldn't be a senator, he was too young. Then again, she had become a senator at eighteen. He couldn't be the same as her though right? She got her position through rigorous education and training, she highly doubted this boy did the same.

  "Booooooooooo! Senators are dumb. I hate politics. I hate Palpatine. Boooooo! Lightning sucks, it huuuuuuuurts." What was he even talking about?

  "He said he's part of the security." One of the Rodians said. The alien knew basic well which was probably because he was most likely involved with his planet's politics. Almost every politician knew Galatic basic.

  "Security?" Last time she checked, security doesn't hammer themselves full of drugs and alcohol.

  "Yeah, I mean… I don't know why he'd lie about that, but you got to admit he's pretty fun."

  "He needs water." She scowled at the irresponsibility of the Rodians. This boy clearly needed help.

  "Eh. Dying by thirst isn't that bad. Worse than drowning, though. Speaking of dying. Wanna see me stab this fork through my hand?" The boy was a little too eager to pick up the nearest fork and wave it around like a sword. Padme didn't know if he was more of a danger to himself or the people around him.

  "Drop that idiot. Why is your arm bleeding?! You shouldn't drink if you're bleeding!"

  "CAR JACKER! Shhhhh it was meeeeeee. Promise you won't tell anyone?"

  Padme didn't bother answering. Instead she chose to grab his fork waving wrist and pull him up from off the table. This moron needed to sober up, but first, he needed water. If his breath was any indication, he had only been drinking alcohol since they took off from Nar Shaddah.

  She, with an idiot swaying in hand behind her, had to weave through the crowd of royalty and senators, attracting many looks. God, this was going to ruin her reputation. She was not looking forward to this ever being brought up again next year as some sort of political scandal. She could imagine it now. Senator mucks around with drunk scum. This boy she had only known for a few seconds, and he was already a problem. Eventually, they did make it to the bar where the Zeltron behind it was busy flirting with Senators and pouring drinks.

  "Excuse me could I get some water please," Padme asked drawing the attention of the red-skinned girl. The Senator who she was busy stroking the arm of didn't look too pleased with her interruption but the boy she was with was going to overdose any second now. The woman looked at the pair slightly annoyed that Padme got in the way of a very large tip but made her way over.

  "It's you again." The woman hissed, narrowing her eyes at Padme.

  "I haven't met you." Padme hissed back. She was trying to do a good thing, yet now she was starting to regret it.

  "Not you, the junkie."

  "I'll take ten body shots!"

  "Ten will kill you." The bartender's eye twitched.

  "TWELVE!"

  The Zeltron sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Clearly this isn't their first meeting between the two. Regardless, she grabbed a glass from behind the counter and poured water from the sink nearby slamming the glass hard in front of Padme.

  "Sober him up and keep him away from me. I've been told to give as much as he wants as long as it doesn't kill him."

  "You think I want to deal with this?"

  "I'm not going too, and you won't find a whore on this ship who has low enough standards to do it either." Wonderful. Just wonderful. They had only been on this ship for a day. It was the first night! How had he already built a reputation among the staff so low that no one cared if he drank himself to death?

  "Are you, my mommy? I haven't seen her for centuries. She dies a lot. Palps never let her live, so I stopped caring." What kind of drugged-up dreams was this guy seeing? If this is what drugs did to you? If so she was never going to do them. This is what being scared straight must be like.

  She needed to get the crazed boy to a bathroom and make him vomit everything out of his system. It wouldn't look great for her publically dragging a boy off to the bathroom but if it was a choice between her pride and the boy over dosing, it was a sacrifice she would have to make.

  Before Padme could drag him away and get him sobered up, a yell echoed through the ballroom. It was a loud one as it drowned out the sound of chattering and music, killing both the sound and the mood. The large crowd was parted aside as everyone tried to get away from the epicentre of the yell.

  Thankfully as the crowd pushed away Padme was able to get a look at the cause of the noise. A man wearing a fine cloak wrapped around his shoulders had one hand raised towards another man. Though, unlike the cloaked man, he was a few feet in the air trying to grasp at invisible hands around his throat.

  "Well, Vader. This is why I hired you." A voice suddenly appeared at Padme's side. She swung her head around and saw a massive slug stand before her cross-armed tapping one metallic leg against the floor. How did that sneak up on her? Clearly, the boy or rather Vader it seemed was too loud and distracting for her to notice the very large Hutt before her.

  "You bastard. You knew Dooku was coming. Ughhhhhhhhhhhh! That's why you were so interested in hiring a Jedi. You've got the fourth strongest force user in the galaxy on this stupid ship! I felt him the second I stepped on board, why do you think I'm so fucked up right now?"

  "I don't care. Stop him or die. I honestly don't care because I'll be happy seeing both happen."

  The boy gave Grakkus a glare, or well he would have I he was sober enough to actually look straight.

  "Fine, fine I'm on it."

  Despite being 'on it' Vader didn't move. Rather he took a big swig of the water and looked at the cloaked man. What was he doing? He was just glaring at him which while weird to see didn't do much… Until it did. What? The cloaked man dropped his hand and the floating choking man fell to the floor. A coincidence surely. There was no way this drunk actually had anything to do with it. No, this boy was an idiot!

  The cloaked man whom Padme assumed was this Dooku turned to them.

  "You must be-” Padme never heard the name Dooku said, his voice was being to drowned out by the sound of Vader’s insistent whining. Whatever Dooku called him it must have not been good as she turned to Vader who looked like he was told to drag his body over shards of glass.

  "Fuck." Vader whispered.