Anakin Skywalker walked to the center of the room, and could sense a slight tenstion that still pervaded among the council. I wonder what just transpired, he thought.
As the senior member of the council, Yoda was the one to begin the discussion.
"Thank you we do for coming before us today. Fought well for the Jedi you have. Singlehandedly many battles you have won where others lost would have. Truly a hero of the Clone Wars you are, and strong are you with the force. Because of these things, elevate you to a Jedi Master and make you one of the council we do."
Anakin was awestruck. Is this really happening? I can't believe that Mace Windu and Ki-Adi-Mundi would go along with this. Palpatine must have told them of his appointment.
"I thank all of you for this honor, and for your trust, and I promise you that I will do all within my power to be worthy of the title of Jedi Master." At that he looked at Mace, who was glaring at him. "The Chancellor spoke with you then?"
"What do you mean?" Mace queried.
Anakin realized he should have just kept quiet, but now it was too late. "Yesterday he asked if I would serve at his appointment on the Jedi council."
"The Chancellor has no authority over this council. We elect those whom we see fit, and no one, including the Chancellor, tells us who should join our ranks," Mace responded.
"Disturbing this information is," stated Yoda.
Obi-Wan spoke up, "Anakin, do you have any idea why he would ask this of you?"
Anakin hesitated before he answered. "I only know that he believes the council doesn't trust him," he responded.
Murmurs from the council members where heard on all sides. This is not the way Anakin had hoped things would go when he was made a Jedi Master. He had dreamed of this moment, but didn't think it would happen for at least a few more years. No one in the history of the order had ever been elected so young, and now he sensed doubt among some of the members in the course of action they had taken. He felt he must do something, must say something, to recover some ground. He had thought of keeping his dream last night to himself until he could ascertain the truth of it, but realized that now he had been given this trust, he should confide in his brethren.
"There is something else I must say to all of you." The room immediately fell to a hush, and he could sense that all attention was on him. "I have reason to suspect that the Chancellor is the Sith Lord for whom we have been searching."
The room immediately exploded into incredulous responses and expressions. "That's impossible," he heard one say. "What an absurdity," came from another. Yoda, in a rather forceful manner, commanded silence from the other Jedi Masters.
"What reason to believe this have you?" he asked.
Anakin knew he couldn't disclose the exact nature of his dream, but he felt he could talk his way around it.
"Master Yoda, Obi-Wan, you both should recall the dreams that I told you about that haunted me before the death of my mother. I experienced such a dream again last night, a dream that focused on someone I care about dying. When I awoke, I used the force to try to sense if this was of the force and in fact the future, or if it was just a nightmare. To my surprise, I found a force tracing, as if someone was projecting this dream specifically to me. I followed the force signature back to a presence of such darkness that I knew it must be the Sith Lord for whom have been searching. As I tried to focus on who the being was, I recognized that it was Palpatine. This caused me to lose my concentration, but when I tried to search for the tracing again to make sure I wasn't being deceived, I could no longer find it."
"You're sure you sensed Palpatine?" Mace asked.
"I'm positive I did. The thought crossed my mind afterward, however, that someone as powerful as a Sith Lord could impersonate the presence of another being to throw me off the trail."
The council was silent as everyone pondered upon what Anakin had divulged.
"Possible this is. Explain many things it does. Investigate this immediately we must," said Yoda.
"I volunteer to be on this mission," Anakin said.
"No," Mace said as if it were final.
Anakin began to grow irritated with his perpetual distrust.
"With all due respect, Master Windu, if this is true you will need me on this mission," Anakin retorted, barely able to conceal his impatience.
"If what you have said is true, then you will have come a long way in gaining my trust. Right now, I just find it incredibly dangerous for the two of you to be together."
Obi-Wan saw the anger at Mace's blatant prejudice change Anakins countenance. He knew he must say something quickly or this would get ugly.
"Anakin, the council has received word of the whereabouts of General Grievous. I had, only just prior to your coming here, received the assignment to go and see if these rumors were true. I know how much you have wanted to face Grievous in combat and make him pay for the deaths of so many throughout the galaxy, so I would like you to take my place, if you'll allow it, and I will stay to question the Chancellor." Obi-Wan ignored the scowl that Mace gave him, and awaited his friend's response.
Anakin truly wanted to face Grievous and rid the universe of his corruption. He had wished it many times through the myriad of battles he had fought and won against the Separatists, and he also saw how Obi-Wan was trying to provide a diplomatic way out of this awkward moment. Always the Jedi, Obi-Wan. Always the Jedi.
"I would recommend two teams of at least four Jedi go to question the Chancellor. He will most likely be in either his personal quarters or the Senate's council room," Anakin finally responded.
Obi-Wan let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "I will go with Master Windu and two Jedi Knights to his private quarters. Master Yoda, will you lead the other team?"
"Meditate now I must. Grave danger I forsee. Another's path this is."
Ki-Adi-Mundi spoke up. "I will lead the mission with Master Fisto, Master Allie, and Luminara Unduli. We will immediately head for the council room. May the Force be with us."
As they turned to leave, Stass Allie said, "It's a good thing we all returned for Anakin's appointment. And here I thought I'd be getting a little break."
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As Ki-Adi-Mundi and his team approached the council room, they saw Palpatine working at the main desk, seemingly oblivious to their arrival. Ki-Adi-Mundi stepped in and was followed closely by his companions. "Chancellor Palpatine. The Jedi Council would like to have a word with you."
Palpatine looked up, seemingly annoyed at their presence. "I'm busy," he said brusquely, and then suddenly he stopped writing. "And just why do you wish to speak with me?"
"Chancellor, I'm afraid this isn't a request, Ki-Adi-Mundi said, igniting his lightsaber. Each lightsaber of his companions then came on in succession, their soft humming sounding louder than normal in this eerie silence.
Palpatine slowly rose from his chair, the anger emanating from his being almost palpable to all present. "Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?" he said, the distain almost dripping from his lips.
Before Ki-Adi-Mundi could reply, a lightsaber shot down from Palpatine's robe into his hand and in a move that defied his age, the Chancellor leapt into the air in a spiral flight that cut down Kit Fisto before anyone recognized what was going on. Stass Allie and Luminara Unduli were somewhat slow to begin their defense, and they were both dead a second later. Ki-Adi-Mundi frantically backed out of the room, desperately trying to summon Mace Windu and Obi-Wan through the force.
Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi simply looked at one another, and then proceeded to turn and run as fast as the force would take them to the tremor they had felt as their fellow Jedi had fallen. They had also received a silent communication from their brother who was still alive, but before they were halfway to the Senate building, they both keenly felt Ki-Adi-Mundi fall to his death.
They burst into the council room, but there was nothing they could do but mourn for their fallen friends. There was no trace of the Chancellor, and they both realized that the biggest threat to the galaxy had just slipped right through their fingers. "I'm so sorry we weren't here for you," Obi-Wan whispered, and in his mind, he knew that if Anakin had been the one to confront Palpatine, things would have been different. Your time will come soon, Palpatine.
