AN1: Slightly shorter chapter, but I couldn't help it, with exams and stuff going on. Also, I plan to have a more-or-less weekly update schedule, with a new chapter every Friday/Saturday.

Reviews:

Guest: Dooku's a prisoner of the Jedi, for now. I have plans for him and he'll be re-introduced in a couple more chapters.

So, PM me with any queries and please, REVIEW(!), so that I know what's good/ what can be improved upon!

Of course, Beta credits to anand891996.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy, and May the Force be with You.

Chapter 2:

Anakin ran out of the Council chambers and made his way to the Temple Hangars as fast as he could. He had to be careful about this. He had to act in a way Chancellor Palpatine would not expect him to. While he made his way down, Anakin thought back to the conversation he'd had with the Chancellor back in the Senate building. Maybe if he could remember it as it were, he might pick up some little detail he'd missed back then.

XXXXXXX

Anakin walked into the Chancellor's office, wondering if a Holocall wouldn't have sufficed for whatever it is that Palpatine wanted. He had other people to get back to!

Hearing him walk in, Palpatine shut off whatever Hologram he was looking at, and turned to greet him, sitting on his revolving high-backed chair.

"Ah, yes, Anakin! First off all, let me re-emphasize on my gratitude for you rescuing me. That was adeptly handled by you and Master Kenobi."

"Think nothing of it, Chancellor. It was our mission, and it's the least I could do to repay you for being my mentor in everything outside of the Jedi Order. You've thanked me for it enough times, as it is."

"My boy, a mentor never expects repayment when he offers to teach someone on his own." he said, standing up. "Please, allow me to show you my gratitude."

"If that's the case, Chancellor, why isn't Master Obi-Wan here? I mean, he's the one who played amore iconic role in your rescue."

Palpatine looked thrown off for a second at that question, but regained his composure immediately.

"My boy, such deeds are expected from a Jedi Master of Obi-Wan Kenobi's level, and for the reward I have in mind, I'm sure it would be of no point to him. Anakin, I'm making you my personal representative on the Jedi Council.", Palpatine said with a smile.

Now, it was Anakin's turn to get thrown off his stride.

"Me? On the Council? A MASTER? Chancellor Palpatine, I'm overwhelmed. I'm not sure how to respond."

What was Palpatine trying to do, currying favors like that? The Jedi would definitely not like it if he interfered in their matters, and he was sure Palpatine knew so.

"Oh, please, surely the Council must acknowledge your skills by now! I'm sure they would've promoted you of their own accord soon. I'm just helping speed things up.", Palpatine smiled.

"I thank you for this opportunity and the level of trust you've placed on me, Supreme Chancellor." Even though he sensed that Palpatine had something else up his sleeve, Anakin was positively thrilled at the possibility he'd be made a Jedi Master. Still, he'd let Obi-Wan in on this. His Master had an uncanny ability to see through most situations.

(Half a day later)

"Allow this appointment to be taken lightly, the Council does not." Jedi Grand Master Yoda said, in his ever-so convoluted method of speech. Tongue twisters probably rolled off the 900 year old Jedi Master's tongue. Anakin wondered what would happen if the Grand Master got a lisp…

He smothered a snicker and turned his focus to Master Windu, who was regarding him coolly, ever ready to bandy his own opinions about.

"You're on the Council, but we do not grant you the rank of Master.", Windu said.

That dropped Anakin's mood completely.

"What? Master Windu, please, I hadn't asked to be put on the Council. If you deem me not ready, just say so. Giving me a seat on the Council but not making me a Master seems a bit too harsh to me."

Windu looked like he'd swallowed Bantha dung, if the way he colored was anything to go by. Apparently he didn't usually deal with juniors questioning him.

"If I may, Master Windu, Master Yoda. Anakin deemed it prudent to come to me with this information first, and asked me for my views on the Chancellor's actions. I'd say this is a perfect opportunity for us to turn the tables on whatever Palpatine has planned. Also, given the way Anakin has handled this situation, and going as far as to suggest he be declined a seat shows his modesty and maturity. That, along with his aptitude with the Force and his combat skills should be enough to earn him the rank of Master." Obi-Wan said.

Anakin turned to Obi-Wan with a look of surprise on his face. Obi-Wan had predicted exactly how the Council would react to this incident, but he hadn't mentioned a word about backing Anakin's claim to a seat up. Obi-Wan smiled at him and nodded. Apparently the old man always had a thing or two up his sleeve. Anakin quietly appreciated having being apprenticed to such a man as a Padawan, and turned to face the rest of the Council, waiting for them to react.

"A vote, then. To see if we deem Anakin to be ready to attain the rank of Master. Initiated." Jedi Master Ki Adi Mundi said.

Anakin waited for the outcome with bated breath.

Masters Mundi, Obi-Wan and Yoda, surprisingly, were in favor of Anakin. Masters Windu, Plo Koon, Saesee Tiin and Shaak Ti voted against, while the rest abstained.

Great, he'd lost out by a vote. Anakin sighed. Some of the Jedi were as conceited as he believed them to be, if not more. They refused to accept him as an equal just because of his age. Anakin shook his head and looked at Master Kenobi.

"I'm sorry Anakin, but it looks like you're going tohave to make do with just a chair, for now."

Anakin cracked a half-smile and made for his seat.

XXXXXXX

This was where Palpatine had started making it obvious that he was not just who he claimed to be. Anakin was no genius, but offering him a seat on the Council to be in his good books, while making it look like all he was doing was looking out for him was too obvious a ploy for Anakin to not see through. A representative of the Republic interfering with Jedi affairs, especially Council promotions, was unheard of.

Of course, he was visibly upset at how Master Windu had handled the situation even after Obi-Wan's interjection, but still, Anakin had learned long back that everything would come to pass at the right time. Knowing the Council, he hadn't expected them to readily agree, but he was let down, nonetheless.

Of course, there was the matter of the other conversation they'd had yesterday, which made Anakin doubt if the man was as stupid as he was diabolical. Anakin raced towards his speeder and jumped in, all the while recollecting the conversation they'd had not too long ago.

XXXXXXX

Anakin jogged down the circular path that led to the Chancellor's observation platform in the Senate Tower. Apparently, Palpatine had requested his presence while a performance was being conducted, and wouldn't inform the Council as to why. That ruled watching the performance out, thankfully. Theater was the last thing on Anakin's mind these days. The Guards outside the door acknowledged him with a nod and motioned him through. Anakin ducked through the doorway and found himself behind the Chancellor and a few other dignitaries, who were apparently entranced with the performance going on in front of them. The attending audience was in huge numbers, and there was a smattering of applause every now and then. As Anakin walked to the front, the Chancellor turned to him with a smile.

"Ah, Anakin, I'm so glad you could join me!"Barely sparing his other guests a glance, he said shortly "Leave us". The dignitaries bowed out, with a couple of them obviously displeased at being sent out halfway through a 'spectacle' Anakin wouldn't pay a Hutt's most lousy servant's toenail to watch.

Raising a mental eyebrow to himself at the obvious play at getting privacy, Anakin seated himself next to the Chancellor, wondering what this was about.

"Ah, Anakin, I have some good news! The Clone intelligence department has located General Grievous to be hiding in the Utapau system. We'll make sure that fiendish droid leader doesn't escape, this time."

"That's great news! Has the Jedi Council been informed regarding this? This mission's going to need a few experienced Masters to handle, considering it'd be a full-scale assault deep in the Outer Rim."

Palpatine looked at him, frowning."But of course, my boy! Oh, Anakin, I'd requested the Council that you be in charge of this mission as I have full confidence in your abilities to handle it, after all. You've proved yourself to be an exemplary leader in the past, and this shouldn't pose much threat for one possessing your exemplary skills. Except, the Council deemed it prudent to deem you unworthy and not even mention it to you apparently. They've sent Master Kenobi and the 212thBattalion under his command to Utapau just a few hours ago. I just hope this doesn't cost us the mission. I'd pegged you to be the most qualified Jedi to lead this mission, but apparently the Masters feel differently."

There he went with the flattery again. Also, the unnecessary addition of adjectives was beginning to get annoying. What was with him and trying to get Anakin to trust him more and more? There was only so much one could care for an old Senator, and he seriously hoped for a second that Supreme Chancellor Palpatine didn't swing the other way, before squashing the thought to pay attention to the man's words.

"After their refusal to acknowledge you as their equal, I felt they'd definitely agree with you once you completed this mission successfully. Tell me, did you not feel betrayed when the Council refused to grant you the title of Master when I requested them to do so?"

"I'm sorry Chancellor, but despite your request, the power of promotion and demotion within the Jedi Order rests only with the Council. I expected them to deem me unworthy, so I wasn't let down. The Order stands for good, and the Council is it's very embodiment. I trust their judgment."

As was so often happening, the Chancellor looked like he was at a loss for words. Regaining his composure, he tried again.

"But of course, young one. Then again, you see, "Good" is just a point of view. From anyone's standpoint, they themselves are never in the wrong. So, despite their so called selflessness, I'm sure most of the galaxy doesn't approve of them."

"What?Anakin mentally exploded. Was he admitting to being at odds with the Jedi Order? Him, the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic? Anakin decided to hear him out. Apparently the senile old fool would keep on spewing if he felt Anakin agreed with him. It'd be easier for him to make out what the Chancellor was getting at, too. Apparently it wasn't about the Chancellor's choice of bed-time partners after all.

"I see your point, Chancellor. Truly, you're every bit as wise as I'd made you out to be." Anakin said, layering his speech with loose flattery that he knew all Senators were suckers for.

"Thank you, Anakin. You see, the universal rule is that all those who attain power are afraid to lose it. Even the Jedi."

"Talk about stating the obvious", Anakin said to himself. He knew that to be the very reason the Council was against him getting promoted to their level. Anakin let the Chancellor continue.

"Let me tell you a story, young one. Have you ever heard of the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?"

Anakin shrugged. Mentally, he tried remembering if he had ever come across the name in the Archives. No, it didn't seem familiar.

"I thought not. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. It's a Sith legend." Well, Sith tales never made for very captivating stories. They were just gruesome and were best left forgotten. And here was this man, bandying one such tale about like it was no big deal. Also, how did a seemingly straightforward politician from Naboo get to know about it? Something was out of place here

"Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith so powerful and so wise, he could use the Force to influence the Midichlorians to create.." Here, Palpatine turned (oh-so-obviously) to face him

"..Life."

Anakin had another hit-by-a-Starship-exiting-Hyperspace moment. Was this man blatantly admitting to know of a person who was probably responsible for his creation? There seemed to be no other explanation for the fact that HE was being told this very story. And of course, the very blatant head turn was no suggestion at all. Anakin's mind reeled at the revelation. He schooled his expression, trying to glean more of the other man's motives.

"He had such a knowledge of the Dark Side, that he could even keep the ones he cared about, from dying." Anakin felt like the Starship had turned around and re-entered Hyperspace with him in it's trajectory. Why was this man revealing such information to him, right when he'd started getting dreams of Padme? Dreams of Padme... dying. No, this was no happenstance. This man was manipulating him somehow. Was the idiot Force-sensitive? And what kind of "mastermind" admitted stuff like this to his victim's face?

Anakin knew he had to get to the bottom of this. How would the Chancellor react if he seemed curious about this ability?

"From dying? That's...amazing. Is it possible, to learn this power?"

Palpatine, yet again, went for the dramatic head-turn.

"Not from a Jedi."

"Okay, that makes sense. A person not dying at all is against the laws of Nature and is morally wrong. Anyway, what happened to that Dark Lord?"

"Oh, just like I said, he grew powerful, extremely so, but again was terribly afraid of losing it, which he eventually did. His apprentice learned everything from him and then killed him in his sleep. How ironic. He could save the ones he cared about from dying, but not himself." Palpatine chuckled to himself at that.

That did it. Apprentice? Killed him in his sleep? Why did this feel like a personal account of events? Anakin's attunement to the Force subconsciously pointed out irregularities to him, which he found, well, irregular. It was completely out of place for the Supreme Chancellor to know about Sith Legends and talk about them to only one Jedi who might even be possibly linked to it. What was this man getting at?

"So, this power to keep people from dying is lost?" Anakin queried.

"Young one, you see, my mentor was very well versed with the ways of the Force, even the Dark Side. With his knowledge passed on to me, I'm sure if you and me worked together, we could find and attain this power, once again. Use my knowledge, Anakin. We could recover the power to save people. The power to save the one you love from dying."

Seriously, ominous laughter and lightning in the background would not be out of place, given the man's revelation. He'd all but admitted that he was Sith, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that his well-versed mentor was the very same Darth Plagueis. Anakin had to react to this in a way that wouldn't give away the fact that he suspected him. He'd have to be tactful about this. Also, he had to tell the Council, or preferably, Obi-Wan. Crap, why was the man halfway across the Galaxy when he needed him? Anakin hoped he didn't get skewered by one of the Cyborg's multiple lightsabers.

Well, the Council would have to decide on how to deal with this situation, then.

All the while the man had been talking, Anakin had felt subtle prods at his consciousness, trying to get him to agree with whatever was being said. If Anakin had been any less attuned to the Force, it might've worked, but the Chosen One just disregarded them without sparing much thought. So, those were nudges in the Force that this man was employing to get Anakin to agree with him. Well, he'd show him that he was not one to be trifled with, and he wasn't going to be anyone's pawn.

Schooling his expression into one of disbelief, Anakin reacted as he expected any unsuspecting being would.

"H-How? How d-do you know about that?"

"My boy, haven't I always looked after you? I can always tell when there's something bothering you. Remember what you told me about your mother and the Sand People? I would hate for you to experience something like that again..".

Palpatine was now gazing upon him with an intense expression. The intensity of the mental nudges increased, and Anakin felt like a blanket hat been draped over his consciousness, sapping his ability to think clearly. Damn it, this man was powerful and all the more dangerous because of it. Barely anyone had any visible effect on mind controlling Anakin, and he was almost immune to Force suggestions. This man had to be extremely adept at using the Force to be able to have a perceivable effect on him.

Anakin drew in on the living Force around him and used it to clear his head. The energy that emanated from the multitude of beings thoroughly enjoying the show did help clear the fog in his mind. Palpatine seemed to realize that Anakin was aware of something affecting his cognition and immediately withdrew his telepathy probe.

Anakin smiled inwardly as he felt Palpatine's presence retreat. Only the weak-minded were prone to mind control, and he was anything but that.

As his mind cleared, Anakin became aware of yet another possibility. What if the reason he'd been having these dreams was because of Palpatine's doing? After all, he'd told him everything about why he went to Tatooine and what had transpired there. The Chancellor knew his weakness was those he held close to him, so it would be very easy for him to convince Anakin to turn, if he were to undergo the very same circumstances that had led to his mother's death yet again. Anakin would seek out power, and Palpatine would gladly offer it, in return for his turning to the Dark Side. He deemed that to be very likely, as the doctors that had given Padme a once through on his request proclaimed both her and the child she was carrying to be completely healthy. So, was this man responsible for the apparently baseless fear that Anakin had been living in, because of some dreams? It wouldn't surprise him, given how vile the man was. Wait, then, what if he'd in some way influenced the Council to send Obi-Wan on this apparently suicidal solo mission? If his line of thought was true, then this man had fooled the Council for so many years after all. Given that his old Master was the only one Anakin trusted completely wasn't a secret, getting someone so influential out of the way while dirt-facing the Council killed two targets with a single cycler-rifle shot.

Anger boiled up inside Anakin, and he pushed it down, lest it show in the living Force around him and give his charade away. Chancellor Palpatine was evil, and he had to be put down. The entire galaxy was at stake here, after all. The Sith may just be a Jedi problem, but there was one truth he'd come to realize.

Without the Jedi, there could be no balance. The galaxy would be thrown into turmoil if something were to happen to the Order. The thousands of star systems, and not just the ones under the Republic banner would be left under the singular control of a maniac who had conveniently managed to get himself Emergency powers that almost made him a dictator. He had to act soon, and sort this out.

Anakin put his face in his hands, putting on the act of one in confusion and contemplation. He then looked up after a minute, and slowly moved to look at the Chancellor's expectant face.

"I-I need time to think this through, Supreme Chancellor. You've always been there for me in the past, and I have no doubt you have my best interests at heart right now. Still, it is too much for me to comprehend immediately, and I need to think it through.."

"Of course, Anakin. You are wise and powerful, and I'm sure you'd see the benefit of this in no time. With you by my side, we would usher in a new Era of peace and prosperity in the Republic."

"Thank you, Your Excellency. I would like to take my leave, right now. I shall correspond with you as soon as I have had time to mull things over."

"Of course, my child." Palpatine said, with a smile playing on his lips.

Anakin quickly ducked out of the chamber and made his way back to the Senate's exterior, where he'd left his speeder. Forget needing time to mull things over, he was heading over to the Council chambers to report the fool immediately.

XXXXXXX

Anakin's speeder weaved through oncoming traffic deftly, as he sped towards the Senate tower, where Windu and the other Masters were headed. The sun was setting in this part of the city-wide planet, slowly plunging the city into darkness. Noting this, Anakin fervently hoped there was no metaphorical implication behind it.

The entire Galaxy's fate rested on his shoulders apparently, and acting quickly and decisively was the only way to prevent the weight from squashing him flat. He had to do this, for himself, Obi-Wan, Padme and his unborn child. Prophecy or not, the Chosen One would bring balance to the Force.