A/N: Hello everyone! It has arrived! *dramatic drum noise* The next few chapters are going to have major plot development. Anyway, thank you for the follows and favs, you're all amazing! So, this is about to start going wayyyy off canon. Yay! VioletErin.26: I'm glad I wrote it too. This is coming together even better than I had imagined. Anakin is extremely relentless, he tends to get an idea in his head and pursue it despite his better judgement (friendly reminder of the time he sent the Imperial Fleet into an asteroid belt that almost destroyed them because he was so determined to capture Luke. Yeah. That happened.) Of course he's not going to forget about his dream, but hopefully Obi-Wan's warning can help him keep it all in perspective. WeylandCorp 4: Glad you like it! Read on…
I do not own Star Wars or its characters.
Chapter 7
The next day Anakin was summoned back to the Jedi temple. This came as a surprise to him, he hadn't expected any of the council to want to see him before the hearing. Of course, they probably didn't want to see him then either, but they really didn't have a choice about that. He walked into the dark briefing room, nervous about what the object of this meeting could be.
Windu glared at him as he approached.
"You wished to see me?"
"Yes. We have received a report that Master Kenobi has made contact with Grievous. Please relay this to the Chancellor. His reaction will give us a clue to his intentions."
Anakin nodded, "Yes, Master." His heart raced at the words. Obi-Wan was facing down Grievous at that very moment. Anything could be happening. Anakin hoped that he wasn't expiring on the ground while Grievous laughed. Obi-Wan was tough, but Grievous had apparently killed Jedi before. He could only hope that his friend was a match for the cyborg. He wished, more than anything, that he was there backing him up.
He lingered a bit by the door, looking back into the room. It was a strategy meeting, that much was clear. Always before he had taken part in these briefings. Now the council was excluding him, frowning at the sight of him as one might at some foul rodent that had taken up residence in one's home. Finally he walked away with a heavy heart. He might as well give up now and ask Owen about joining him in moisture farming. Obi-Wan was wrong, there was no hope.
A few minutes later he stood outside the Chancellor's office, preparing himself to talk to him. Palpatine worried him. There was something off about him. The area around him felt strange… like the Force was… sick? Was that it? That didn't make sense, the Force wasn't a living thing, not in that sense. Anakin couldn't put his finger on it, but it felt really familiar. He could feel it now, seeping through the door. What was that? Oh well, he'd worry about it later. For now he had a job to do. He steeled himself, and walked inside.
Palpatine sat at his computer, studying some technical diagrams Anakin couldn't quite identify, though he turned them off as the young man approached, swiveling his chair around to face him.
Anakin spoke, "Chancellor. We have just received a report from Master Kenobi." He paused, studying the politician's face, "He has engaged General Grievous."
No reaction. The Chancellor's face maintained the concerned, saintly expression it had worn before the news, "We may only hope that Master Kenobi is up for the challenge."
Anakin searched his face once more, then, finding nothing, he began to speak, voicing his concerns, "I should be there with him."
"It's upsetting to me to see that the council doesn't seem to fully appreciate your talents. Don't you wonder why they won't make you a Jedi master?"
Anakin nearly scoffed. Make him a master? After this he would be lucky if he was still in the order. As for before… he knew why: he was too young and reckless, too emotionally attached, too impulsive for the council's liking. And why was Palpatine talking to him about this anyway? What in the world did it have to do with him? Why didn't he just shut up and mind his own business?
Palpatine seemed to take his silence as a response. His expression turned to one of fatherly sorrow, "They don't trust you, Anakin."
No kidding, he thought.
"They see your future," the Chancellor rose, walking over to place a hand on Anakin's back and lead him up the stairs, "They know your power will be too strong to control."
He didn't like being this close to the man. The odd feeling in the Force was very strong now, enouph that it caused a slight ache in his gut. Something was wrong, very wrong.
"You must break through the fog of lies the Jedi have created around you." How? What could this politician do to help him with that? By his own admission, he wasn't even force-sensitive. Anakin stared at him, confused, as they walked through into the next room.
"Let me help you to know the subtleties of the Force."
What? Anakin finally spoke, "How do you know the ways of the Force?"
Palpatine glanced at him, "My mentor taught me everything about the Force… even the nature of the dark side."
Anakin walked around to face him, shocked, "You know the dark side?" So he was force-sensitive. Alarm bells started to go off in Anakin's head.
The Chancellor gave him a hurt, misunderstood look, "Anakin, if one is to understand the great mystery, one must study all its aspects, not just the dogmatic, narrow view of the Jedi. If you wish to become a complete and wise leader you must embrace… a larger view of the Force."
Anakin was furious. The man had lied to him. He didn't quite understand everything yet, but the pieces were falling into place. At last he knew what that odd feeling was in the Force. He had felt it before, around Dooku. It was darkness, though here it was in greater concentration than he had felt previously. The pair started to circle each other, Anakin warily, Palpatine with a commanding look.
"Be careful of the Jedi, Anakin. Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the dark side of the Force, and you will be able to save your wife… from certain death."
Save… "What did you say?"
"Use my knowledge, I beg you."
It was tempting. He saw the dream again in his head, the wailing newborn, his screaming wife. He felt himself waver, remembering Palpatine's tale of Darth Plagueis.
Then he remembered Obi-Wan's advice regarding visions, how they were not to be trusted, how they were traps that only might be true, certainly not reliable enouph to use as a basis for any decision. His rage grew. How dare this man try to use Padme to manipulate him? This Sith, for Anakin was becoming increasingly certain that that was what Palpatine was, the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious. He had lost his other apprentices and now sought to make another out of Anakin. Well he was in for a nasty surprise. Anakin Skywalker was no one's pet.
A hum filled the room and the blue blade of Anakin's lightsaber shone, "You're the Sith Lord!"
The careful circling resumed. Sidious spoke, "I know what's been troubling you. Listen to me. Don't continue to be a pawn of the Jedi council."
Oh, so I should be a pawn for you. That makes a lot of sense. Thanks.
"Ever since I've known you, you've been searching for a life greater than that of an ordinary Jedi. A life of significance, of conscience."
Did you miss the part where I killed the second Sith to be seen for a thousand years? That's pretty good. I can easily up the count to two dead Sith if you keep it up.
He warily moved his lightsaber as Sidious walked a few steps away, stopping to speak, "Are you going to kill me?"
Anakin was fuming by this point. This disgusting, evil creature. He hated him. Sidious had lied to him, manipulated him, betrayed him… even made him wonder if the council was plotting against the Republic. At least he had an answer on that. "I would certainly like to!"
The Sith's eyes narrowed, "I know you would. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger."
Anakin looked away, turning off his lightsaber and starting to pace, while staring at the monster in front of him, "I'm going to turn you over to the Jedi council." As much as he wanted to, killing Sidious in anger would be the wrong thing to do, and to kill him without proof of his guilt… Anakin had no desire to face a murder trial for ridding the galaxy of a pestilence.
Sidious looked smug, "Of course you should, but you're not sure of their intentions, are you?"
More sure than I am of yours.
Anakin spoke, "I will quickly discover the truth of all this."
"You have great wisdom, Anakin. Know the power of the dark side. Power to save Padme."
Anakin didn't dignify that with a response. He fixed Sidious with a withering glare, then turned and left without a backwards glance. He would save her, but not like this.
He rushed back to the temple, searching until he found Windu in the hanger bay, talking to some other Jedi. Anakin stepped in, "Master Windu, I must talk to you."
Windu turned to him, starting to walk across the room. Surprisingly, he didn't seem annoyed at the interruption, "Skywalker, we just received word that Obi-Wan has destroyed General Grievous. We're on our way to make sure the Chancellor returns emergency power back to the Senate."
Anakin was glad to hear that Obi-Wan was all right, but he currently had more important concerns. He shook his head, "He won't give up his power. I've just learned a terrible truth. Chancellor Palpatine is a Sith Lord." They stopped, turning to face each other. Windu looked shocked, "A Sith Lord?"
"Yes. The one we've been looking for. Darth Sidious."
Windu seemed slightly doubtful, "How do you know this?"
"He knows the ways of the Force. He's been trained to use the dark side."
The other stared at him, "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. He told me who he was and tried to gain my allegiance."
Windu crossed his arms, "He tried to make you his apprentice?"
"Yes."
The Jedi master paused, looking down, "Then our worst fears have been realized. We must move quickly if the Jedi order is to survive."
They resumed walking. Anakin spoke, "Master, the Chancellor is very powerful. You'll need my help if you're going to arrest him."
Windu turned to him, "For your own good, stay out of this affair. He tried to turn you, and I feel it would be unwise to bring his prey to him."
You mean you don't trust me.
He paused, "I sense much anger in you, young Skywalker. You must learn to control it."
"See? No trust.
"Master, he is very powerful. You will need experienced help to take him down. I beg you to take me."
"No, not you. You make a point though, the ordinary knights may not be enouph. I'll see if there are any Sentinels here at the moment, we must act quickly on this information if we are to be successful. You have done well, Anakin, and I thank you. Spying on the Chancellor… I know it was not an easy thing to ask."
Anakin stared at him in shock. Had he just heard that? Had Windu just thanked him for something? He wanted to ask him to record it so he could gloat to Obi-Wan later. Instead he gave a slight bow, "You're welcome, Master."
"Stay here. If what you have told me is true, you will have gained my trust."
Anakin watched as he conferred with the knights already in the ship, then walked off, presumably to find the afore-mentioned Sentinels.
As Windu departed, he once again spoke to Anakin, "Wait in the council chambers until we return."
