"Out of nowhere, you say?" Palpatine leaned forward slightly in his chair, eyes keen and interested. "Or rather, they say."
"I was skeptical too, but that's what I've heard. And clones don't lie." Anakin shrugged. "Some sort of genetic programming. If they can, it's a mutation."
"Right, right, of course. And the technology! Has your Master mentioned anything about that?"
Anakin shook his head, "As I mentioned before, I haven't really had time to speak with him. I did hear one of the clones mention it –something that can apparently mass-deactivate droids." He smiled at the Chancellor, a look of excitement shining in his eyes. "Imagine what could be done with this! Whatever it is, it could be the key to defeating the Separatists."
"Indeed! I should see if I can arrange a meeting with our travelers, they seem as though they would be… interesting people to talk to." He glanced at a small chrono hanging in one corner of his crimson office. "Oh my, Anakin, I'm quite sorry, but I have a meeting in just a few minutes. Shall I see if I can arrange for us to talk further at a later date?"
"Of course. It's been a pleasure, Chancellor." Anakin bowed, one of the few formalities he took around his friend.
Palpatine watched him walk out the door, many thoughts and plans swimming through his mind.
New developments weren't always good at first, but with a little time and planning, perhaps they could be turned that way…
******
"Donna!" The Doctor pushed open the door, as quickly as he could to make up for the previous moment's hesitation. "Is everything okay?"
It certainly looked that way: No blood or 'saber burns that he could see, both were still alive… and was that tea he could smell? Both his companion and the Jedi wore equal looks of seriousness, and there was definitely an air of intensity hanging in the room, but nothing seemed too out of place or wrong.
"Doctor!" Donna practically leapt out of the seat she was in, looking almost… guilty. "Back so soon?"
He decided to ask her later what was going on. "Yep! Master Kenobi, those Archives are fantastic! Beyond what I would have imagined. I think I've found an appropriate planet; could I review my findings with you?"
For a moment it seemed as if the Jedi might object, if the way he was glancing back and forth between Donna and him was anyindication, but in the end he nodded. "Of course, Doctor. Why don't you pull up a chair, and I'll get you some tea?"
"That'd be great, Master Kenobi! Thanks." The Doctor sat down next to the seat Donna had just reclined back into, and raised an eyebrow at her. What was going on?
Her stoic expression revealed nothing, as she shook her head slightly.
Oh, well. He would find out later.
******
Obi-Wan reached into a cabinet and pulled out a third mug, simple and generic, identical to the ones he and Donna were using. Grasping the handle of the pot he poured some of the steaming liquid into it, thinking all the while.
Donna hadn't been lying, of that, there were no doubts. She really did know something, and there was almost no chance that she knew something that important, and the Doctor didn't.
So, why did she want to tell him, and why didn't the Doctor? He wasn't a bad person, or at least he didn't seem like one. Surely the Force would've warned him if he was some sort of spy! No, he seemed to be fairly sincere, just a man looking to get home.
Obi-Wan wasn't sure what it was, exactly, but he knew that some part of the equation was missing, and an important one at that.
******
Having poured the tea and setitin front of the Doctor, who took it with a grateful "Thanks," Obi-Wan was ready to hear about the visitor's findings.
"I assume you recorded the data that you got in the Archives?" He pulled out a data-pad, ready to read the information.
"Yep, I have it right here." He presented a small object, which Obi-Wan promptly inserted into the data-pad. "Let's see what we have here."
It came up almost immediately, and Donna and the Doctor both leaned forwards to get a better view. "Jabiim?"
"Yes, that's it," the Time Lord nodded. "Relatively civilized world, if you could call it that. Humans came there a few thousand years ago, and have been telling stories of this mysterious… thing that surrounds it, up in the sky. They say it's energy, mostly, and time." At Obi-Wan's dubious look he quickly added, "I know how strange it sounds, but trust me. It's what I'm looking for." In fact, this might have been his imagination at work, giving him hope, but he thought that he could recall hearing about Jabiim from somewhere. Other than the rift it seemed like a pretty insignificant place –good ore mines, though those would probably run out soon, but that was about it. How else could it have come up in his learnings?
Obi-Wan, meanwhile, was still studying the holograms being projected intensely. "It's got a fairly strong electrical field around it," he pointed out. "That would make it a bit more difficult to land, though I still wouldn't call it undoable."
"I know, and I'm sorry. I hate using up so many of your resources when you've already been far too generous, but that field is another indicator that there could be a Rift –something I could use to recharge the TARDIS, that is."
"Well, I'll bring it up with Master Yoda. Are you sure that this place is the one you're looking for? Jabiim is a dangerous place; trips there aren't taken lightly. The natives aren't too friendly towards the Republic, after the battle that had taken place there. Our forces got out with relatively little damage, but many of them were killed, and seeing as it happened less than two years ago, I can conclude that they've yet to forgive us."
"I know it's dangerous, and I'm sorry." He did look rather apologetic. "But I'm as sure as I can be without actually being there."
"Very well, then." Obi-Wan deactivated the data-pad, causing all of thehologramsto disappear in an instant, and stood. "I'll comm. Master Yoda, and see how soon we can meet to discuss this." He picked up his communications unit and quickly tapped in the number for his friend and fellow Council Member.
By no small miracle of the Force, Yoda was waiting for him and activated the connection as soon as he was contacted. Without preamble he said, "A planet, our Doctor has found, hmm?"
"Yes, Master; or so he thinks. Jabiim."
"Jabiim, hmm?" The master widened his citrus eyes, "A bloody place, that is."
"I agree. Could we perhaps talk further in person? It seems as though this is a conversation that could take awhile."
"Correct in that, you are, Master Obi-Wan. Meetnowin the Council Chambers, we must! Bring Master Windu, I shall. And accompany you, the visitors must."
That surprised him; he had not thought the Doctor and Donna would be present. It was not a point worth debating, though, so he merely nodded and bowed. "We will be there soon, Master. May the Force be with you."
"And may the Force be with you, and our guests." He bowed back, and the transmission ended.
Obi-Wan turned to the visitors. "Come with me."
******
"Master Kenobi, Doctor, Donna." Mace's greeting was curt; he was notone for prolonged conversation. "You've brought the information on Jabiim?"
"Right here." Obi-Wan withdrew the data-chip from a pocket and passed it over to the Korun Master. He promptly inserted it into a data-reader, which would allow them to display the information in a much wider way than with the small readers designed for personal use only.
"Tell us, you will, Doctor, what has drawn you to Jabiim." Yoda didn't look at the Time Lord when he spoke, choosing instead to focus on the holographic blue images, but his words were made no less intense for that.
"Well, for one, it's got a lot of funky electrical activity around its atmosphere –that's often a sign, weird as it sounds. And the natives have recorded a lot of strange happenings: flashes of lights," [i]time slips, people disappearing and other things reappearing before their eyes,[/i] "you know, the works. And I've just got… a feeling." Normally he wouldn't have risked playing that card, but he figured that such "feelings" must've been pretty common in a Temple full of well-trained Force-sensitives.
"That isn't a lot, Doctor." Mace frowned. "They have high reports of… unusual occurrences. Is that at all related to your desire to go there?"
It was a blunt question, and it deserved a blunt reply. "Yes. Yes, that did partially make me think that this could be the place."
"Ahh. A mysterious place, Jabiim is; suited for a mysterious man!" Now Yoda did turn and scrutinize him. "Talk, you are ready to, Doctor; or perhaps you, Donna Noble?"
He hesitated, and felt Donna tense up beside him; so she hadn't told Obi-Wan, after all! That was one less weight he had avoided thinking about. If she was still tense; well, there had to be something to be nervous about then, right?
"Well…" Even he was surprised when she spoke; she certainly wasn't dutiful and that was one of her greatest qualities. But she rarely went against direct orders of his, unless they were really, really dumb. Which these ones weren't! "Master Kenobi, I know I began to say something to you before, but I just realized that what we know is irrelevant. It's about this place far, far away, on this tiny, insignificant planet. Ra… Rax…"
"Raxacoricofallapatorius." Which was over a hundred thousand light years from here, not that that mattered. "Huge storm's coming that'll devastate the planet. Trust me; we heard it from a very reliable source."
None of the Masters looked like they believed him, but at least Mace gave a skeptic nod. "Very well. We'll be sure to contact Raxa…"
"Raxacoricofallapatorius. Thanks!" He gave them his best smile.
"Debate this matter further, we will. Wait outside, you two may." Yoda nodded towards the door, about to dismiss them, when a buzz came from outside. A hologram of a young alien appeared. "Masters? I hate to disturb you, but there's an incoming comm. from the Chancellor. Do you want to take it?"
They glanced at each other, before the dark-skinned Master answered. "Yes, Padawan Anore. Send it in."
He did, and it appeared first as a voice, which shook Donna all the way through. Here he was: the Sith Lord; the crux of everything about to happen, standing before them looking almost… grandfatherly. "My dear Masters, how good it is to see you! I'll have to keep this short and to the point, I'm afraid, but here it is: Have you received any sort of… visitors lately?" He laughed, and although the frozen statue that was Donna Noble knew only she and the Doctor knew his secret identity, she had to wonder if it sounded evil to anyone else's ears. "I like to keep up with the going-ons, you see."
Again, a group glance was exchanged, and again, it was Mace who spoke. "We have a few newcomers, yes."
"Well, then!" His surprise seemed so forced to her it wasn't even funny. "Could I perhaps… meet them? Today, tonight? Nineteen-hundred hours would work well for me."
"Of course." The flat reply was so automatic it almost frightened her, and she realized that what the Chancellor wanted he would get.
The question was, what did he want from them?
