(warnings at end of chapter.)

Chapter 6: The Council's Conclusion

The Jedi Master's that filed or flickered into the Council chambers at four in the morning were not exactly pleased to be there. Firstly, because it was early, and secondly because if Master Mace Windu had summoned them at this hour with a top priority urgent meeting, then it meant something had gone badly wrong. And given how badly things had been going lately, (such as a Padawan bombing the Temple,) that was not a comforting thought.

Mace came hurrying in last, a thunderous expression clouding his features, and dropped into his chair with a thud. "I'm calling this meeting because-"

"Here yet, Obi-Wan is not," Yoda interrupted him sleepily. Mace stared hard at him for a moment.

"I know. That's part of why I called this." He stared at the small orb in his hand. "I can't believe we missed this…"

He pressed a button on the arm of his seat, and placed the orb in the stand that rose up. A holographic image expanded out from it, rocking and weaving, too small to see what was going on except there was a lot of energy blasts flying about. "This recording was copied from a gunship called to assist in preventing the breakout attempt going on at the facility where former Padawan, Dark Jedi and suspected Separatist Ahsoka Tano was being held."

"Was?" Saesee straightened up, alarmed. All around the circle, the Councillors were rubbing their eyes, sitting straighter.

"Was," Mace confirmed grimly. "Watch."

The image became larger as the gunship approached, the room eerily silent in contrast to what must have been a roar of shouts, blaster fire, engines – and missiles, if that explosion that has just taken place was any indication. Both the explosion itself and the high pitched whine it emitted would have been added to the cacophony. They had all been in battle at one point or another, and this looked like a full scale battle. Two figures came into definition, standing back to back, with lightsabers whirling. Ki-Adi peered at them. "Ventress?" he questioned, identifying one of the figures as holding two full length lightsabers.

"I wish," Mace growled, looking like the image had personally offended him. "That would at least make some sense."

"Then who?" The smaller figure dropped to the ground, and the figure with the two lightsabers moved to stand guard over what was probably Ahsoka herself, from the shape of the figure's head. It was an excellent piece of saber work, several members noted, creating what was almost a shield of light between them and the troops. And, oddly, almost familiar.

The smaller figure was certainly Ahsoka, they could see now. Her accomplice, someone in armour close to the style the clones used. Mace froze the image as the unknown Force wielder flipped over Tano's head, hand outstretched in the direction of another incoming missile.

Shock radiated around the Council chambers as Obi-Wan Kenobi's face, set in intense concentration, became clearly visible.

"I'm sure you realise how this complicates the situation." Mace continued scowling at the image. "It appears that Tano was not acting alone. And the fact that they have subverted a Council member is…deeply disturbing."

"As disturbing as us not sensing it," Plo Koon murmured.

"Yes." Mace sighed. "And Admiral Tarkin - who contacted me with this footage - is demanding an explanation. I don't think I have to warn you about the possibility of the Senate and the populous taking this the wrong way should we not act quickly."

There were grimaces around the room. The Council were all too aware of how public opinion was starting to turn on the Jedi.

Yoda broke their contemplation. "What else had Admiral Tarkin to say?"

"He's demanding that the military exclusively handle this." Mace's lips thinned for a moment. "And that the Jedi Order allow the same sentence to be put on his head as is on Tano's."

Incredulous ripples ran through the Force. "We cannot set the death sentence without trial," Kit protested. "We need to give him a chance to explain himself."

"And this is a Jedi matter." Ki-Adi was frowning deeply. "Even more so now that Kenobi is revealed to be involved.

"I agree. We will have to make our case to the Chancellor, to counter their suggestion." He could feel a headache coming on already. "But while I would rather like to get some answers from Kenobi myself, a rouge former Jedi Padawan was bad enough. A Council member gone rouge is worse. We have to look at the big picture on this one; Tano herself agreed that no-one would bomb the Temple unless they were Dark, and if he's working with her, then we're dealing with a Fallen Jedi Master. The amount of damage one of those can cause is terrifying. If authorizing lethal force as an option is what it takes, then we have no choice."

"And if he has broken her out, then he is working with her," Saesee mused with muted horror. "Though a death sentence on a current member of the Order would set an extremely bad precedent."

And a dangerous one. Mace looked to Yoda, who shook his head. "No proof of his turn we have," the ancient Master pointed out gravely. "Only actions. And here for a trial he is not." He appeared to be staring at something in the far distance. Something was bothering him, beyond even what they were speaking of.

"Which means we can't expel him." Saesee scowled. "Even though that is the only reasonable thing to do to a Fallen Master."

The old master was still frowning, though. "Master?"

"Thinking, I was." Yoda looked around the room, solemnly meeting each occupants gaze. "Clouded the Force is: too clouded to see. And…" There was a hesitation before Yoda drew the, suddenly obvious, terrible conclusion of Kenobi's treason coinciding with the Force's clouding enough that even Yoda could see nothing. "Come into contact with the Sith, Obi-Wan has, many times over the last few years. Discussed the possibility of Sith involvement in the bombing we did, before Tano was revealed, but dismissed it after." His ears drooped. "Consider the possibility, we must again."

It made sense. Jedi Master's didn't just Fall to the Dark side for nothing.

It hadn't crossed his mind before that that it could have been the Sith, and not just the war, that had caused this. He hadn't let it, he supposed. But it made sense. But there could be another explanation. If he hasn't Fallen. Though I cannot see any way he could not have, from his actions, and the Force's silence…

He changed the subject silently, setting the recording to play again, and they watched as Kenobi half fielded off a blast from the missile, managing, if barely, to keep himself and Ahsoka Tano alive in the middle of the storm. They saw ARC troopers advance, saw that they were not going to make it in time, and saw them reach the hole as a lightsaber was running round the edges.

"It took them almost an hour to get through," he stated sombrely, redirecting everyone's thoughts to the search. "By that time, Kenobi and Tano were long gone. They're still searching the tunnels for where they went, but it's a vast network."

"Do you think Skywalker was involved?" Plo rested his chin on his clasped fingers.

"I don't know. He seemed genuine when investigating, but then so did Kenobi. He was the one who captured her though, and a full Knight is far less impressionable than a Padawan. We need to check with his watcher what he's been up to since he got back, and question him ourselves." It occurred to him slightly belatedly that if Skywalker did happen to be involved, then he might not be willing to come quietly. "I'll go and get him."

"Come with you, I will," Yoda announced, coming out of his reverie. Mace nodded. He may be reputed as one of the best 'saber fighters the Order had, but he felt far more comfortable potentially going up against Skywalker with his old Master by his side.

"Once we get this sorted. Just what are we going to do about Kenobi?"

"He's clearly defected from the Order," Kit offered slightly hesitantly. "And the Republic."

Ki-Adi's gaze was sharp. "You said Tarkin was demanding the military handle this."

Mace nodded. "He claims the Jedi would be too biased." His tone demonstrated eloquently what he thought of the Jedi's devotion to the Republic being questioned.

"And if he were no longer a Jedi?"

For a moment, Mace's breath left him. "We don't have the means to expel him."

Except, that wasn't quite true.

There was an uncomfortable silence around the broken circle. Each member was running over the facts in their head. Tano had Fallen. Kenobi was in league with Tano. Both had committed treason. Treason against the Republic meant the Separatists. And the Separatists meant…

"That has not been used in nearly a thousand years," Plo Koon observed at last. There was some uneasy murmuring. No one wanted to call for it. Mace scanned around the circle, his gaze fixing on Saesee Tiin as he drew himself up and took a deep breath, seeming to gather his resolve. A knot of dread settled in his gut, and he breathed most of it out. He's not going to -

"Then I - I am proposing the use of The Exception in the matter of expelling Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Jedi Order, in the absence of a confession or witness, on the grounds of his recent actions and their implications."

There was a ringing silence. The air seemed to grow heavy with the gravity of the statement. Mace swallowed.

He'd never thought he would live to see that used. Never wanted to. The Exception was something to be be learned about in history class, not applied.

But then, he'd never thought he'd see the return of the Sith until it happened, either.

"All in favour," He counted the hands. The seriousness of the accusation that warranted use of The Exception meant it would take ten of twelve - ten of eleven, in this case - of the votes to pass it.

Sorrowful eyes, filled with the devastation of losing one of their members like this, met his. Every hand was up.

He tried to swallow again, but his mouth was too dry. The evidence says he was working with her. She's Fallen. And a Council member would not take orders form a Padawan, meaning the mastermind of the bombing was him. "The motion passes. Unanimously."

It was as though they had all let out the breath they had been collectively holding. There was a stunned stillness for a moment, and then hushed conversation between neighbours sprung up, several members looking as though they had just woken up from a horrible dream and were not quite sure what was real or not. Mace turned to Yoda.

"I'll inform Tarkin. Then we can get Skywalker's questioning out of the way before I meet with the Supreme Chancellor as soon as he gets into his office."

Yoda nodded gravely, looking far older than normal. "Come with you while you inform the Admiral, I will."

Mace was struck by a moment of bleak humour as they left for the communications centre. At least this should convince them that the Jedi Order as a whole had nothing to do with Kenobi's actions…

A.N. A heartfelt thank you to all my wonderful reviewers. And sorry to Book Girl Fan and anyone else who was hoping they'd give him the benefit of the doubt, but given their recent track record…

Next Chapter: Anakin is questioned by the Council.

Edit: It's been pointed out to me that Tarkin is an Admiral, not a Governor, at this point in Star Wars, so I've sorted that out. Thank you.

Warning: the council getting things disastrously wrong.