The turbolift up to the seventieth floor seemed to take an eternity, which was fine by Anders. It gave him the necessary time to consider the events leading up to this moment. He played them over and over in his mind and was convinced he was right. After all, when was he wrong?
He did what he knew was best whether those around him agreed with him or not. People tended to act like sheep that needed herding and he was more than happy to be the shepherd.
The door to the Supreme Chancellor's office slid open allowing Anders to step inside. He removed his helmet, placing it under his arm. His little BD-Unit droid, BUDD-E, was perched on his shoulder. It waved a mechanical leg at the woman sitting at the desk opposite them.
"Lady Second, a pleasure as always," Anders gave a slight bow in greeting. "Or would you prefer I call you hero?"
"Cut the kark, Anderson," Cassandra's tone was like a sharp knife cutting through him.
Anders merely shrugged. "Very well. I hope you do not mind if I take a seat?"
"You can stay exactly where I can see you," Cassandra pointed her finger at him. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
Anders returned to his straightened posture, arms folded behind his back. If that was the way she was going to speak to him, then so be it.
"I do a lot of things, Cassandra. You are going to have to be more specific."
Anders suddenly felt something overtake him, a chill descending down his spine. He stiffened, a single, nervous drop of sweat forming on his brow as his heartbeat quickened. BUDD-E chirped in his ear, feeling the tension in his shoulders.
What was happening to him?
"This!" Cassandra spun the holoimage towards Anders with a hard flick of her hand. It was a file, a document containing the authorisation for a special project. "I want to know who authorised you to begin construction of a Clone Army for this Republic. I swear, Anderson, if it's not somebody important…"
To his credit, Anders remained steadfast. "Nobody. I took it upon myself to begin this project."
Cassandra rose from her seat, her nearly seven-foot frame towered over Anders as she slammed her hands on her desk. "Why!? Do you have any idea of the implications of this!? The moral and ethical issues alone could spell disaster!"
"Of course I do. I consider my options carefully before I act on anything. Upon analysis, I perceived the threat of the Taldryan Traditionalists and decided to take matters into my own hands to counter them because I knew you wouldn't agree with me."
"Threat? And you think this is the solution? Oh, yes. Because a Clone Army worked out so well for a Republic the last time it was done," Cassandra had to chuckle, lest she screamed. "No. Here's what's going to happen, Anderson. You are going to cancel this project, decommission whatever Force-forsaken facility you are using to do this and we will never speak of this again. Or else…"
Cassandra glared daggers into his soul and Anders felt the rush of anxiety hit him again like a wave in his subconscious. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second, realisation dawning on him like a setting sun.
Fear was mixed with a swelling magma that boiled within his essence. Who in the nine Correlian hells did she think she was trying to manipulate him? Fine. If that was the game she chose to play then Anders would be the second player.
"You understand that I am simply looking out for the best interests of the Republic," Anders' words rolled off of the tongue with an elegant smoothness.
"I understand that you are looking out for the Republic, Anders…"* Cassandra sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her hand. The fear Anders felt vanished without a trace.
"You understand that I am right."
"I understand that you are right…" Cassandra let out a heavy sigh.
Anders smiled. "You will allow the project to continue."
"I…"
Cassandra's pupils dilated, turning towards Anders with a look of pure fury behind them. The Force alarmed Anders like a siren in the back of his mind. He braced himself to retaliate and, as Cassandra thrust her palm forward, he did so with his.
He gasped, his face contorting as he was slammed backwards like he'd been struck with a hard punch. BUDD-E squealed as both it and Anders careened back into one of the lavish sofas that decorated the Chancellor's conference room, toppling it over. The Chiss landed on his back atop the carpeted floor with his legs in the air whilst the droid crashed several feet away. His helmet had rolled out of his grip.
"Mind Tricks, Anderson? That was low, even for you," Cassandra folded her arms across her chest, an indignant look plastered on her face, daring Anders to retaliate.
Anders felt the taste of iron in his mouth. He ground his teeth together as he staggered back to his feet.
How dare she!
Electricity cackled at Anders' fingertips like a coiled snake and, just like a viper, it struck out at its prey. The stream of lightning darted across the office towards Cassandra, flashing lights illuminating the office to those outside.
The Supreme Chancellor's breath hitched as she grabbed her lightsaber to defend herself.
Snap-Hiss!
She held her blue-bladed lightsaber in front of her, grounding the stream of lightning. Electricity lapped at the blade as Anders stepped towards her, a stalking, seething like a rock-lion with wounded pride.
"You are hardly one to talk!" Anders spat, pouring his anger and frustration into a second stream of lightning towards Cassandra. "Trying to instil fear in me with the Force? Foolish girl! You are attempting to use the dark side on a Sith. Did you not think I would notice!?"
Distracted by his emotions, Anders failed to notice that he had moved into range of Cassandra's blade. Only when she sprung at him did he realise his mistake.
The stream of lightning sputtered at his fingertips as he felt a lethal shift in the Force, the dark side demanding he move to the side to avoid being decapitated by Cassandra's lightsaber. Her weapon sliced into the carpet and durasteel floor, narrowly avoiding Anders' head as the weapon hummed next to the Chiss' ears.
The High Inquisitor quickly grabbed his lightsaber, the curved hilt fitting neatly into the palm of his hand as he lunged forward to end the fight as quickly as it began.
Snap-Hiss!
His weapon cut into Cassandra's robe, though she had the sense to evade before his blade made contact with her flesh. Anders pressed forward with swiftness and elegance, momentum on his side. He moved like a dancer gliding across the dance hall, each one-handed swing of his weapon precise, purposeful, and minimal in execution, yet spoke of years of practice perfecting his craft.
Cassandra, on the other hand, fought back with a ferocity all her own. She moved with vigour, taking each swing of Anders' blade in stride as she met his dance with one of her own. If he was the snake, then she was the bird of prey seeking an opening to sink her talons in.
She found that opening. The explosive counter-assault that took Anders by surprise. She lunged, hellbent on the kill. Red clashed with blue, sparking, hissing, her blade slicing through the surrounding furniture, flurrying towards whatever opening she could find.
Anders' eyes went wide as he realised he was losing ground to her all too quickly. He backpedalled to break the flow of Cassandra's super-conductive loop before it became too intense for him to handle.
"I will not allow you to repeat history, Anders. Taldryan has worked too hard to become what it is. I will not let you destroy it with your insane ideas," Cassandra pointed her lightsaber at him. "In the name of the Senate of the Taldryan Republic, you are hereby under arrest for treason. Surrender, and your life will be spared."
Anders scoffed. Who did she think she was? "I refuse. I will not bow to someone who is blind to the bigger picture."
Cassandra briefly closed her eyes, steeling herself before opening them again. "So be it, Spymaster."
