Chapter Nine
A New Appointment
Anakin took a stroll around the Temple. He always did this after leaving Padme, in the past so he wouldn't be caught, now because he enjoyed the serenity of the Temple. He bumped into the one person he didn't want to see.
"Hey, Skywalker," Anakin turned sharply.
"Olin."
"No hard feelings alright. I only did what I had too. I told you once before if I was even needed I would be here."
"You aren't needed, Padawan Olin. I'm here."
"I hear that you are going off-world though."
"That's right."
"And Skywalker it's Knight Olin."
"So I've heard, Padawan. Look Olin, until you face the trials in my book you are still a padawan."
"Your own master never faced the trials."
"He defeated a Sith, the Council didn't just hand him the title."
"Like they handed you a place on the Council."
"That's none of your business."
"I think it is. They had an empty place on the Council. I have been appointed to the Council."
"What?"
"As the Chancellor's personal representive."
Anakin was sure he hadn't heard correctly. "YOU are the Chancellor's representive."
"It's why I've returned. It's never been done before. Someone my age. It's unprecedented. Plus, it's the reason I was Knighted. They couldn't have a padawan on the Council."
"If you will please excuse me?" Anakin asked barely masking his rage. How could the Council do this? How could the Chancellor? Anakin had to keep in mind that Palpatine was Sidious, the trouble was it was getting harder to focus on. His jelousy was getting in the way. Anakin closed his eyes and began meditating. I will save you Luke, he thought. I don't want you and Leia to grow up in that kind of world. I will save the galaxy.
Ferus Olin didn't leave, instead he watched Anakin. He thought Anakin would be glad to hear that he had been appointed to the Council. The Chancellor had said that Anakin would be glad to hear it, that Anakin wanted no part of the Council, what had he said wrong? He had to admit it was odd being back here at the Temple. He stared after Anakin a moment before heading to the Council's chambers.
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Obi-Wan and Count Dooku awaiting Anakin at the docking bay. Obi-Wan could feel the dark emotions around his former padawan. He was troubled and he didn't think it was Count Dooku or Han that was troubling him. With a simple Jedi mind trick Obi-Wan had convinced Han's superiors to allow him to accompy the Jedi.
"Anakin, allow me to introduce a youngling. Han Solo, formerly from Corellian."
"Han Solo? We've already met."
"Sir? Knight Skywalker, I want to be you when I grow up."
"So you've told me."
Obi-Wan and Han Solo were confused at Anakin's odd behavior. "I'm going to be a great pilot," Han continued.
"I know. Just wait until you get your ship. The Kessel run was amazing."
"Kessel run?"
"Just remember what I said," Anakin said as he sat down in the pilot's chair. "Han, do you know how to enter coordinates?"
"No, sir, Knight Skywalker."
"Well, you are about too. We are going to Korriban. I want you to enter the coordinates."
"I'll try, sir."
"Do or do not, there is no try," Anakin replied as he began explaining how to enter the coordinates.
"I never thought I'd see the day when you began quoting Master Yoda."
"Just wait, Ben."
"Ben?"
"Nothing, Master. Okay Han. Let's give it a shot. Lightspeed here we come. Obi-Wan flip the thrusters," Anakin instructed as Obi-Wan sat down. As they entered lightspeed Anakin put it on autopilot. "Now, Obi-Wan would you mind telling me exactly why we have brought the Sith apprentice with us."
"Because, dear boy, I am the only one who knows exactly where the Sith artifact is."
"Is that so? I could think of another Sith Lord who knows."
"But this will help us defeat him."
"Why? So you can become the Master. I think not. I should have taken your life on the Invisible Hand. I don't know what I was thinking."
"You were thinking with your heart. You were thinking like a Jedi."
"Lectures on a Jedi from the Sith."
"I was a former Jedi."
"You were Qui-Gon's master."
"Yes, I was." The room was filled with silence at the mention of Qui-Gon. All of them were thinking of what his death had meant to them. To Obi-Wan, it had been the loss of the one he respected above all, the only Jedi who understood him, his Master. To Count Dooku: it had been the last straw in the Jedi's blinding corruption toward the Senate and the beginning of his allegiance to the Sith. To Anakin, it had been the death of the man who had been the closest thing he had had up until that moment. He had missed his kindness, since he had been the only Jedi to be kind to him at that moment.
"He's not gone, you know," Anakin finally said. "He still exists in the Living Force. You just don't believe in it," Anakin told them.
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said.
"He knows what's going on. He's tried to talk to you, Master. But you are hard to talk to you. Sith, even I have trouble talking to you and I haven't died yet," Anakin said to which Count Dooku chuckled.
"If anyone could get through it's Qui-Gon. He was an...unruly pupil. Much like the two of you."
Obi-Wan couldn't believe he and Anakin were talking to a Sith Lord about things that mattered so much. It almost proved that a Sith was capable of feelings...almost. Obviously he too, missed Qui-Gon. He knew that Qui-Gon Jinn had affected many people, many more than he realized. Afterall, it was he who had found their Chosen One. The One that Obi-Wan had come to care for. Yet, there had been another. Five years ago. Before Genosis. When Anakin was still a padawan. Anakin had been seventeen. He had been twenty-seven and there had been a beautiful young girl who had hair darker than the night sky in any galaxy. For the Jedi. For The Chosen One's training, for he knew how difficult Anakin could be, he knew how impossible it would be for anyone else to take on a padawan, he let her go. Something that he regretted while alone asleep in the Jedi Temple, but it was what he had to do. Anakin was more important, Anakin was the son he had never had. The son he had rather had. The son he could claim.
