The planet Drucula was a cold and forbidding planet. Temperatures were always below 10 degrees and natives treated visitors with hostility. But recently, the Separatist fleet had invaded Drucula. First capturing the natives, and then destroying endangered wildlife. Before the droids had smashed into the control room of the palace, the elected leader of Drucula, Tim'Gwa Bedow had sent an emergency request to the Senate for immediate action. The Senate, as always was slow to process this request. By the time word had reached the Jedi of Drucula's situation, 2 months had already gone by and it was uncertain if the natives were still alive.
Anakin stood next to Obi-Wan in the council room waiting impatiently for the briefing to begin. It had been months since his last mission and he had spent weeks walking around the halls of the Jedi Temple aimlessly, hoping for a mission. And then Obi-Wan had been summoned to the council room for a briefing. They had been waiting for at least 25 minutes. Anakin looked at his chrono for the sixteenth time in the past 5 minutes. Obi-Wan gave him a cool glance that was a clear message: Act like a Jedi. Wait patiently. The council will talk when they are ready to talk. Anakin looked at Obi-Wan and could see impatience in his green-blue eyes. Finally, Anakin had had enough. He opened his mouth to address the council, but just then the door to the council room slid aside and Anakin heard footsteps. He turned, and to his dismay say Siri Tachi walk in. It wasn't Siri he had a problem with, it was just the THING that always followed her that he…disliked. Ferus Olin strode in and gave Anakin a cool greeting nod. Anakin just looked at him coldly. But his cold stare quickly changed to one of welcome as his best friend Tru Veld walked in. Tru was almost bouncing up and down with excitement, while his master Ry-Gaul strode in with his hands behind his back. Ry-Gaul was an almost silent Jedi, and only spoke what needed to be said. Anakin had once asked Tru how he had learnt anything. Tru had given him a strange look and told him that talking wasn't everything. Behind Ry-Gaul, Darra Thel-Tanis bounded in, her ribbon-weaved padawan braid dangling hazardously from behind her ear. She grinned at him and took her place next to her master, Soara Antana. Soara was a renowned fighter and had a very strong personality. She looked at Anakin and nodded a greeting. Anakin's smile very quickly disappeared and he gave her a nod. He didn't really like her. A couple of years ago, Darra had been injured in the middle of a battle and it had been Anakin's fault. Soara had taken him under her wing and agreed to give him private lightsaber tutorials while Darra recovered. Anakin had done his absolute best, but after letting some anger slip while he was practising lightsaber skills with Ferus, She had told him that he would never be a great Warrior. He still held that against her, even though she had tried to be friendly and talk to him whenever possible. Anakin's attention was suddenly drawn when Master Windu began talking.
"We have received an emergency call to the planet of Drucula." He began. Anakin started. Anakin did not do well on cold planets. Cold planets for some reason made his asthma worse. Any small amount of irritation and he was having a full blown asthma attack. The last time he had been on a cold planet, Obi-Wan had to carry him across snow covered mountains for 3 days, all while he had a plastic respirator over his mouth and nose and was spasming almost constantly. He had spent a week in the med centre recovering. Anakin had talked to the council afterwards about it and requested never to go on another cold planet. Master Windu had told him he was being a child, and should grow up, but he HAD agreed with the council. Mace looked at Anakin and saw the look in Anakin's eyes and mouthed we'll talk later.
2 months ago, Tim'Gwa Bedow sent an emergency request for Senate assistance after their planet was invaded by Separatists. Obi-Wan looked at Mace incredulously.
"2 months?! How on earth do you expect us take back a planet when the Separatists have had 2 months to get comfortable?" Mace gave Obi-Wan a look that Anakin thought would have cowed even him. But Obi-Wan just looked at Mace until the Jedi Council Member talked.
"As you well know, the Senate," Mace looked at Obi-Wan pointedly, "takes a while to process requests."
At that, Anakin felt he had to break in.
"Emergencies take precedence, though, right?"
Mace immediately turned his sharp gaze on Anakin, who looked straight back at him unflinchingly. Finally, Ry-Gaul broke in.
"I think we should allow Master Windu to continue," he said. "It is obviously a very important mission."
Anakin thought for a minute, then turned around and started to walk away.
"Sorry, I can't go."